LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Written Questions: Government Responses

John Mason: To ask the Leader of the House when she plans to answer Question  (a) 311222,  (b) 311223,  (c) 311224,  (d) 311225 and  (e) 311226, on public duty costs allowance, tabled on 12 January 2010.

Barbara Keeley: These five parliamentary questions were transferred to the Cabinet Office as I informed the Member in my letter of 14 January 2010.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Somalia: Overseas Aid

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 8 March 2010,  Official Report, column 67W, on Somalia: overseas aid, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of arrangements for food supplies to be delivered and disbursed in the camps at Afgooye; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), current arrangements for distributing food aid to internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Afgooye corridor are inadequate. Between October and December 2009, IDPs in the Afgooye corridor received only half of the allocated food rations. Since the suspension of the United Nations World Food programme's (WFP) work in Afgooye in January, no food rations have been distributed.
	On 10 March, the Secretary of State for International Development announced an additional £7.5 million to be channelled through UNICEF, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and United Nations Humanitarian Response Fund (UN HRF) to help deliver emergency food for hundreds of thousands of malnourished children and provide lifesaving water supplies. UNICEF is already working in the Afgooye corridor, providing emergency nutrition to starving children and their mothers, and is considering expanding its remit. UN HRF and ICRC are exploring possibilities of providing food aid to the Afgooye Corridor.

JUSTICE

Care Proceedings

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average time taken to complete care proceedings in the courts was in each local authority area in each year since 2003-04.

Bridget Prentice: The following table shows the average number of weeks from the date of application to order made for care and supervision cases in England and Wales (where completed cases are counted by child for family proceedings courts and by orders made for County courts). Data are provided by court area, as a local authority area breakdown is unavailable. Data are presented by court type, from 2006-07; the earliest year for which data are available.
	
		
			  Average number of weeks from application to order for care and supervision cases in England and Wales, for orders made in each year 
			  Court area  County court  Family proceedings court 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Avon and Somerset, Devon and Cornwall, and Gloucestershire 58 62 57 43 45 44 
			 Bedfordshire, Essex and Hertfordshire 52 53 62 45 40 51 
			 Birmingham, Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire 62 67 69 47 52 50 
			 Black Country, Staffordshire and West Mercia 48 52 56 45 48 47 
			 Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk 45 49 49 39 39 39 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 55 58 57 43 46 55 
			 Cleveland, Durham and Northumbria 48 57 59 45 47 46 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 51 53 61 42 41 44 
			 Dorset, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and Wiltshire 50 58 54 45 42 44 
			 Greater Manchester 55 57 59 43 42 40 
			 Humber and South Yorkshire 41 45 46 38 36 39 
			 Kent 53 61 67 45 45 50 
			 Leicestershire, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire 51 54 55 42 41 42 
			 London (Civil and Family) 56 66 65 51 53 49 
			 Mid and West Wales 52 53 47 42 52 46 
			 North and West Yorkshire 49 48 53 38 37 39 
			 North Wales 62 51 58 45 31 38 
			 Nottingham and Derbyshire 44 42 45 43 45 45 
			 South East Wales 51 60 59 42 47 51 
			 Surrey and Sussex 50 55 54 50 47 45 
			 Thames Valley 47 51 55 41 39 44 
			 England and Wales: Average number of weeks 52 56 57 44 45 46 
			 England and Wales: Total number of care and supervision orders made(1) 4,161 3,923 3,636 3,730 3,746 3,596 
			 (1) The figures for County courts count the number of care and supervision orders disposed in each year. Family proceedings courts figures count the number of children disposed.  Notes: 1. The data are taken from the HMCS FamilyMan System and from the Case Tracker system. 2. The figures only cover cases where a care order or a supervision order was made. The figures do not include other care and supervision disposals (e.g. order refused, order of no order) and do not include other order types (e.g. emergency protection, secure accommodation). 3. The figures reflect the mean number of weeks from application to order. This means that the numbers of weeks taken for each order have been added up, and the total has then been divided by the number of orders.

Children in Care: Child Trust Fund

Ruth Kelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what percentage of Child Trust Funds managed by the Official Solicitor or Accountant of Court on behalf of looked-after children have been re-allocated to a different provider following concerns about investment performance.

Bridget Prentice: 15.12 per cent. of Child Trust Funds (969) managed by the Official Solicitor have been reallocated to a different provider following concerns about investment performance. At the time of the review of providers, the Official Solicitor acted as the registered contact for 6,076 children's Funds. To date, the Official Solicitor manages 6,406 Funds.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Surveys

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library a copy of the benchmark results of the Civil Service People Survey for his Department.

Ann McKechin: The 2009 People Survey results are now available in the Library. Information about the survey will also be put on the Scotland Office website in due course.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan and Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel who were repatriated from Afghanistan and Iraq were seriously wounded and subsequently died in each year since the start of each conflict started in each of those countries.

Bob Ainsworth: Since operations began in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003) up to 10 March 2010 (latest date for which data is available), a total of 17 UK armed forces personnel who were categorised as very seriously or seriously injured on operations have subsequently died following repatriation as a result of the injury sustained, as shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Operation 
			   Iraq  Afghanistan  Total 
			 All 8 9 17 
			 2001 0 0 0 
			 2002 0 0 0 
			 2003 2 0 2 
			 2004 0 0 0 
			 2005 0 0 0 
			 2006 1 1 2 
			 2007 5 1 6 
			 2008 0 0 0 
			 2009 0 7 7 
			 2010 0 0 0 
		
	
	These figures include all regular and reservist personnel, and include personnel repatriated to countries outside of the UK.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received reports of UK armed forces' Bowman radio equipment being recovered from Taliban combatants in Afghanistan.

Bill Rammell: The Ministry of Defence has not received reports of Bowman radio equipment belonging to UK armed forces being recovered from the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Air Force: Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF aircraft of each type were  (a) in service,  (b) in the forward fleet and  (c) fit for purpose on the latest date for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is shown in the following table. The figures shown are the average for January 2010 and have been rounded to the nearest aircraft.
	"In service" has been taken to mean the effective fleet, which includes all aircraft barring those which are redundant, declared as surplus or awaiting disposal. The Forward Fleet comprises aircraft which are serviceable and those which are short-term unserviceable. Short-term unserviceable aircraft are undergoing minor works, forward maintenance or any other unforeseen rectification work that can arise on a day-to-day basis. Serviceable aircraft available to the front-line commands for operational and training purposes on a given date are termed available. The number of aircraft available in individual fleets varies according to normal fleet management activities including requirements for mandated maintenance and upgrade programmes and the larger variations are explained in the table.
	
		
			  Aircraft type  In service fleet  Forward fleet  Available  Notes 
			 BAe 146 2 1 1  
			  
			 BAe 125 6 6 4  
			  
			 C-17 6 5 4  
			  
			 Dominie 9 7 5  
			  
			 Harrier 74 50 48 The Harrier fleet continues to progress with the GR9 upgrade programme. 
			  
			 Hawk T1 129 85 68 A number of Hawk T1 aircraft are being held in long-term storage for future use by the RAF Aerobatic Team (Red Arrows) and others require depth servicing. 
			  
			 Hawk T2 17 6 3 Hawk T2 aircraft being held are in storage pending the introduction of a new flying training course. 
			  
			 Hercules C130K 14 7 5 A number of aircraft in the K fleet were in depth maintenance. 
			  
			 Hercules C130J 24 18 12 For the J Fleet, aircraft were in depth maintenance, on trials or undergoing unscheduled maintenance or rectification after returning from operational theatres. 
			  
			 Nimrod MR2 6 5 2 The number of aircraft in the service fleet is being reduced as the out of service date approaches. Other issues include work generated through safety inspections and to maintain serviceability. 
			  
			 Nimrod R1 2 1 1 One Nimrod R1 has been retired and is awaiting disposal. 
			  
			 Sentinel 5 3 1 The Sentinel fleet was affected by a technical issue, which is now being resolved. 
			  
			 Sentry 5 4 2 The Sentry fleet had an unanticipated requirement for fleet engine changes in December which was still being implemented during January. 
			  
			 Tornado F3 22 12 12 Tornado F3 numbers are being reduced as the aircraft is progressively withdrawn from service. 
			  
			 Tornado GR4 137 102 98  
			  
			 Tristar 9 5 3  
			  
			 Tucano 93 47 32 A number of Tucano aircraft are being held in long term storage as they are not required for training purposes. 
			  
			 Typhoon 64 42 40 Tranche 2 aircraft deliveries continue and some of the in-service fleet are currently undergoing a process of upgrade. 
			  
			 VC10 15 13 6 As a result of the severe weather conditions during January there were occasions when aircraft movements around the airfield were reduced. As a consequence aircraft repairs and maintenance tasks took longer than normal thereby reducing availability. 
			  
			 Vigilant 65 64 64  
			  
			 Viking 82 81 81

Armed Forces: Bomb Disposal

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on explosive ordinance disposal  (a) training and  (b) equipment from (i) his Department's core budget and (ii) the contingency reserve in each year since 2005.

Bill Rammell: The Ministry of Defence's accountancy systems do not support calculations of aggregate expenditure on all explosive ordnance disposal equipment and training over the last five years. A complete answer to the question could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Cadets

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding has been allocated to cadet forces in Shrewsbury for 2010-11.

Kevan Jones: The information is not held centrally.
	Funding for any particular area comes from a wide variety of sources including the single services, the use of subsidised facilities, and local donations and fundraising efforts. To determine how much funding has been allocated to a specific unit would require a manual search of records and would therefore incur disproportionate cost.
	The Government remain committed to the Cadet Organisation whose origins date back 150 years. It is one of the oldest and most successful voluntary youth organisations in the world. Today it numbers 131,000 young people, led by 25,000 adult volunteers, in well over 3,000 sites across the country.

Armed Forces: Discharges

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of personnel of each of the armed forces were administratively discharged in each year since 2001.

Kevan Jones: holding answer 5 March 2010
	 The term administrative discharge is applied to those service personnel who are to be dismissed from the armed forces for which there is no specific exit category. Service personnel may be administratively discharged as a result of a range of factors including: civil conviction, failing to maintain a level of physical fitness to pass a fitness test despite undertaking remedial training, financial mismanagement, persistent poor conduct and failing a random drug test. The following tables provide information on the total administrative outflow since 2001:
	
		
			  Table 1: Administrative discharges in respect of the naval service 
			  Naval service  Administrative discharge  Proportion of all discharged (percentage) 
			 2001-02 1,500 28.4 
			 2002-03 1,420 29.6 
			 2003-04 1,320 28.3 
			 2004-05 1,350 29.6 
			 2005-06 1,130 25.9 
			 2006-07 1,000 23.1 
			 2007-08 1,090 24.6 
			 2008-09 660 23.0 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Administrative discharges in respect of the Army 
			  Army  Administrative discharge  Proportion of all discharged (percentage) 
			 2001-02 6,460 45.5 
			 2002-03 6,950 48.5 
			 2003-04 7,230 50.7 
			 2004-05 6,940 47.1 
			 2005-06 6,070 43.1 
			 2006-07(1) 6,750 47.7 
			 2007-08 (2)- (2)- 
			 2008-09 (2)- (2)- 
			 (1) Data are for an 11 month period from legacy systems prior to JPA. (2) Not held centrally. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Administrative discharges in respect of the Royal Air Force 
			  Royal Air Force  Administrative discharge  Proportion of all discharged (percentage) 
			 2001-02 750 16.5 
			 2002-03 990 23.3 
			 2003-04 1,210 29.9 
			 2004-05 940 25.3 
			 2005-06 730 15.9 
			 2006-07(1) 1,660 32.7 
			 2007-08 1,950 38.7 
			 2008-09 1,360 31.6 
			 (1) Introduction of new administrative discharge procedures under Queen's Regulations  Note: Data have been rounded to the nearest 10. 
		
	
	All data have been gathered from legacy systems and JPA. The Army are continuing data cleansing and improvement exercises. As a result figures are not held centrally, at this time, in respect of those Army personnel administratively discharged after 2006.

Armed Forces: Rescue Services

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the C-130 Hercules has been chosen as a replacement aircraft for the Nimrod MR2 for UK-based long-range search and rescue missions.

Bill Rammell: The C-130 Hercules has not been chosen as a replacement aircraft for the Nimrod MR2 for UK-based long-range search and rescue missions. The Nimrod MR2 will be replaced by the substantially more capable Nimrod MRA4.
	Until the MRA4 enters service we intend to use other assets to undertake the long-range search and rescue role.

Defence: Procurement

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the average rate of inflation for major defence procurement projects in each of the last five years.

Quentin Davies: holding answer 12 March 2010
	In response to observations by the House of Commons Defence Committee (pages 41 to 42 of the HCDC Fifth Report of the 2007-08 session on the Ministry of Defence's Annual Report and accounts 2006-07, published in January 2008 (HC 61), the Department has carried out a two year programme of work to develop a robust measure of defence inflation.
	The results of this work will be published on Defence Analytical Services and Advice's website on 30 March 2010 at 9.30 am as an Official Statistic at:
	www.dasa.mod.uk

Departmental Theft

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to deter theft from within the Department.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) has actively promoted a number of crime reduction initiatives throughout the Ministry of Defence (MOD). One such initiative is the "office watch" scheme, which encourages the safeguarding of MOD offices and MOD property by raising awareness of staff, in relation to their own and others' personal property, as well as property of the MOD. The MDP also have 63 community based Beat Officers, who are trained crime reduction officers working in MOD establishments across the country. These officers provide an effective deterrent to potential criminals, by raising the awareness of staff, service personnel, service families and contractors. At sites where there are no trained MDP crime reduction personnel present, all staff, and also contractors and visitors, are encouraged to work together to make their places of employment and homes safer and more secure.

Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library an unclassified copy of the 7th Armoured Brigade Post Operation Tour Report of Op Telic 1.

Bill Rammell: Post operational tour reports are not intended for external publication and unclassified versions are not produced. This information could therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Nimrod Aircraft

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the first Nimrod MRA4 to enter service; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The first Nimrod MRA4 production aircraft was accepted by the Ministry of Defence on 10 March 2010. The aircraft will initially be used for pilot and rear crew training and is then expected to enter service with the RAF in mid 2010.

TRANSPORT

Cycling

Lynne Jones: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what information his Department holds on which local authorities make cycle training available to  (a) the general public and  (b) schools; and what proportion of schools in providing local authorities are receiving cycle training programmes.

Sadiq Khan: Most if not all local highway authorities offer some level of cycle training to both adults and children.
	In addition the Department for Transport supports and funds National Standard cycle training which is predominately delivered in England as 'Bikeability' training. The Department provides a maximum grant of £40 per child to be trained to Level 2 on the National Standard and we recently announced funding of over £12 million for local authorities and School Sports partnerships for 2010-11.
	The Department does not hold information about the proportion of members of the public and schools being offered cycle training. However a table has been placed in the Libraries of the House providing the information which the Department holds on the proportion of Year 6 pupils being offered training to the National Standard by those authorities delivering that training through Department for Transport grants awarded in 2009-10 and their own funding. The Department does not fund cycle training in London boroughs as the responsibility for cycle training in London rests with Transport for London.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many  (a) disciplinary and  (b) capability procedures have been (i) initiated and (ii) completed in his Department in each of the last five years; how much time on average was taken to complete each type of procedure in each such year; how many and what proportion of his Department's staff were subject to each type of procedure in each such year; and how many and what proportion of each type of procedure resulted in the dismissal of the member of staff.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport comprises a central Department and seven agencies. The following table provides details of how many disciplinary and capability procedures have been initiated and completed in the Department over the past five years. It should be noted that the figures on capability dismissals include trainee driving examiners who undertake the entrance course but do not go on to qualify as driving examiners and are not included in the capability cases specified in category  (b) of the table.
	
		
			   2009-10  2008-09  2007-08  2006-07  2005-06 
			  (a) Discipline 101 143 139 54 8 
			  (b) Capability 18 17 5 4 1 
			 Dismissal discipline 9 6 11 12 5 
			 Dismissal capability 10 14 9 12 1 
		
	
	The Department does not routinely record the time taken to complete each type of procedure in each year nor how many and what proportion of staff were subject to each type of procedures in each year. This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The total number of staff in February 2010 in the Department and its agencies is just over 19,000.
	Two of our agencies, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and the Government Car and Despatch Agency, do not record this information centrally and could collate the information only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Energy

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps his Department plans to take to participate in the Earth Hour event on 27 March 2010.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport will participate in the Earth Hour event.
	The event occurs outside of normal departmental working hours and as such we expect the majority of our sites to already be in a state of near darkness. However, to emphasise the importance of this event any maintenance works or activity during Earth Hour will be curtailed where it is practical to do so.
	This event has also been promoted to staff across the Department and its agencies.

Electric Motors

Lembit �pik: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether he plans to extend the plug-in car grant to electric-powered motorcycles and scooters; and if he will make a statement.

Sadiq Khan: Passenger cars are by some distance the biggest source of emissions from road transport, forming almost 60 per cent. of total UK domestic CO2 transport emissions compared to less than 1 per cent. by powered two wheelers. As such, the focus of the Plug-In Car Grant is on cars where it will have the biggest impact on greenhouse gas emissions from road transport. We recognise that electric motorcycles offer environmental benefits compared to conventional motorcycles and they are already zero rated for vehicle excise duty purposes and exempt from fuel duty. Electric motorcycles and scooters should be able to access the majority of recharging infrastructure installed as part of the £30 million Plugged-In Places framework.

Motor Vehicles: Excise Duties

David Chaytor: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many vehicles were exempt from vehicle excise duty as a result of having been first registered prior to January 1973 in each of the last five years.

Paul Clark: The following table provides the number of licensed vehicles that were exempt from vehicle excise duty on the 31 December in each of the last five years as a result of having been manufactured prior to January 1973. These figures are for Great Britain.
	
		
			   Number of vehicles 
			 2004 322,842 
			 2005 318,300 
			 2006 307,406 
			 2007 303,943 
			 2008 302,891 
		
	
	Data for 2009 will be published at the end of April 2010.

Railways: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  whether Coventry city council has submitted to his Department a business plan for development under the NUCKLE project which includes a station at the Ricoh Arena; and what recent discussions his Department has had with Coventry city council on the production of a future business plan in connection with the NUCKLE project;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of the timing of submission of business plans in connection with the NUCKLE project on the  (a) timetable for delivery and  (b) costs of the project.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has had recent discussions with Coventry city council about producing a business plan in connection with the NUCKLE project. From this, I understand that they are proposing to submit a major scheme business case shortly. As a result, the Department has not made an assessment of the effects of the timing of submission of business plans.

Railways: Tickets

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the effect on the cost of off-peak rail travel in the London borough of Bexley of the implementation of the Oyster pay-as-you-go agreement.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport has made no specific analysis of this effect on the London borough of Bexley. Before the launch of Oyster Pay As You Go, some high level analysis was carried out on the likely effects of Pay As You Go fares changes across London as a whole. Within that analysis there were both positive and negative effects, but overwhelmingly those who had been disadvantaged can switch to Pay As You Go and get the best value fares available for their time of travel.

Railways: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the  (a) open full,  (b) average and  (c) lowest advance purchase fare available to the general public was for rail travel between York and London in (i) 1996-97 and (ii) the latest period for which figures are available, expressed in (A) cash and (B) real terms.

Chris Mole: Typically over 75 per cent. of long distance rail journeys are made using discounted tickets. The cheapest York London Advance fare today is £10 single. In 1996 it was £34 in simple cash terms. Around under 20 per cent. of longer journeys are made with Anytime Returns. In 1996 the Standard Class Anytime fare was £102, it is now £223.
	The regulated Off Peak Return in 1996 was £57. This now costs £83.70, and is cheaper in real terms, having increased by less than the change in RPI since 1996. An operator specific Off Peak Return costing £61 is also available.

Roads: Greater London

Tom Brake: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when the Secretary of State's approval for the form of the fixed penalty notice to be used in cases of highway obstruction under the London Local Authorities and Transport for London Act 2003 was first sought; on how many subsequent occasions his Department has discussed that matter; and when he expects to be in a position to decide on the form of the fixed penalty notice.

Sadiq Khan: Responsibility for this matter was transferred to the Department for Transport from Government Office for London in 2007. The Secretary of State expects to be in a position to approve the form of the fixed penalty notice later this year.

Rolling Stock

Anne Main: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many short forming trains were run by each train operating company in each week of the last six months.

Chris Mole: holding answer 10 March 2010
	Only certain train operators are required to report the number of trains short-formed, and do so as part of a contractual monitoring regime. The Department does not hold information for operators whose franchise agreement does not require this.
	For those that are required to report short-formed services, the numbers for the six most recent four-weekly reporting periods are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   2009  2010 
			  Train  o perator  Aug -Sept  Sept-Oct  Oct - Nov  Nov-Dec  Dec-Jan  Jan-Feb 
			 First Capital Connect 147 134 196 71 92 309 
			 National Express East Anglia 39 25 20 63 33 79 
			 Southeastern 81 110 98 176 395 287 
			 Crosscountry Trains 117 63 70 78 121 107 
			 London Midland 843 120 476 701 375 207 
			 East Midland Trains 95 32 51 100 98 59 
			 Southern (1)- 50 40 51 91 70 
			 Northern 243 226 149 186 270 332 
			 (1) A new franchise agreement commenced on 20 September 2009 and equivalent data was not previously reported 
		
	
	For the operators shown above, the total number of services operated from which short-formed trains are reported, is shown in the following table. In some cases, operators are not required to monitor and report all services operated.
	
		
			   2009  2010 
			  Train  o perator  Aug - Sept  Sept-Oct  Oct - Nov  Nov-Dec  Dec-Jan  Jan-Feb 
			 First Capital Connect 20,582 20,767 20,203 18,421 16,661 20,644 
			 National Express East Anglia 45,778 46,610 45,974 45,383 38,867 45,642 
			 Southeastern 44,373 44,540 44,580 44,526 36,349 49,715 
			 Crosscountry Trains 7,442 7,530 7,429 7,654 5,790 7,749 
			 London Midland 31,391 32,601 31,298 31,722 28,162 32,607 
			 East Midland Trains 11,761 11,732 11,727 11,657 10,642 11,955 
			 Southern (1)- 6,680 6,676 6,675 3,483 5,966 
			 Northern 4,663 4,675 4,636 4,613 4,039 4,413 
			 (1) A new franchise agreement commenced on 20 September 2009 and equivalent data was not previously reported

WALES

Unemployment

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the level of unemployment in Wales.

Wayne David: The Government's extra investment in jobs, education and training is making a real difference in Wales. Latest labour market statistics show the employment level in Wales rising by 7,000 from the previous quarter.

Unemployment

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent estimate he has made of the level of long-term unemployment in Neath constituency.

Peter Hain: Despite the worst global economic recession in the last 60 years, this Government's action has ensured that long-term unemployment in Neath is over 60 per cent. lower than it was in 1997, with long-term youth unemployment over 40 per cent. lower.

Industrial Action

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many days were lost to industrial action in Wales in 2009.

Wayne David: Figures for 2009 are currently not available. However, in 2008, the number of working days lost to industrial action in Wales was 55,000. This was just over 7 per cent. of the total working days lost in the United Kingdom (759,000) in 2008.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 4 March 2010,  Official Report, column 1303W, on departmental internet, what the cost was of the website redesign.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Monmouth (David T. C. Davies) on 14 December 2009,  Official Report, column 643W.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many designs for its  (a) internal website and  (b) intranet his Department has commissioned since 2005; and what the cost was of each such design.

Peter Hain: The Wales Office does not have an internal website or intranet. Staff have access to the Ministry of Justice intranet site.

Incinerators: Merthyr Tydfil

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with  (a) the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and  (b) Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on the effect on the UK Government's waste and sustainability strategy of the proposed construction of a 50MW, open grate, waste-to-energy incinerator near Merthyr Tydfil fuelled by non-recyclable waste and the likely effect of the importation of such fuel stock by sea to proposed receiving and transfer stations located at Welsh ports.

Peter Hain: I have regular discussions with UK and Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on a range of issues including sustainability.
	Both UK and Welsh Assembly Governments recognise that recovering energy from waste can play an important part in helping to meet Government commitments to tackle climate change, improve our energy security and create new business and job opportunities. Both Governments also recognise the need to take into account a range of factors when taking decisions on such proposals.
	I understand the planning application for the proposed construction of an energy-from-waste incinerator at Merthyr Tydfil is being considered by the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC), who consider all applications in England and Wales where a plant has electrical capacity greater than 50MW. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to comment on this development further while it is in planning stages, except to say that the generation of energy from waste is highly desirable compared with depositing waste in landfill which is completely unsustainable
	Notice of the application and details of the scoping exercise for the proposed project can be viewed at:
	http://infrastructure.independent.gov.uk/?page_id=202

CABINET OFFICE

Civil Contingencies Emergency College

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she last visited the Civil Contingencies Emergency College at Hawkshill, near Easingwold; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: I have not yet visited the Emergency Planning College. The college is currently engaged in a major project within the Government's Operational Efficiency Programme to develop a commercial partnership with Serco in order to allow it to deliver maximum benefit to the resilience of the UK while achieving greater efficiency. In view of the exceptional demands on the college's management team during the transition stage, I do not think the time is right for a ministerial visit at this particular stage.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the answer of 25 February 2010,  Official Report, column 698W, on departmental internet, what the cost was of the website redesign.

Tessa Jowell: The design referred to in the answer of 25 February 2010,  Official Report, column 698W, was provided by in-house resource at no cost.

Departmental Internet

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many designs for its  (a) internal website and  (b) intranet her Department has commissioned since 2005; and what the cost was of each such design.

Tessa Jowell: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of Cabinet Office.
	The  (a) internal website and  (b) intranet are classed as the same website for the purpose of this response.
	The Department has commissioned one redesign of its intranet home page since 2005. In March 2009 the Cabinet Office replaced its PDF staff newsletter, 'Inside', with an online news service. This work was carried out by an external agency at a cost of £10,245 plus VAT. This spend only relates to the Department's intranet.
	No designs have been commissioned for the intranet for No. 10 Downing street since 2005.

Unemployment

John Mason: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many and what proportion of people in  (a) Glasgow East constituency and  (b) the UK are unemployed.

Angela Smith: The information falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck ,dated March 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many and what proportion of people in (a) Glasgow East constituency and (b) the UK are unemployed. (321879)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) compiles unemployment statistics in line with International Labour Organisation (ILO) definitions for local areas from the Annual Population Survey (APS). However, due to the small sample size, no reasonable estimate is available for Glasgow East.
	As an alternative, in table 1, we have provided the number and proportion of persons, of working age, claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA), in January 2010, for (a) Glasgow East constituency and (b) the United Kingdom, from the Jobcentre Plus administrative system.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment and unemployment are available from the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			  Table 1: Number and proportion of persons, of working age, claiming jobseeker's allowance resident in Glasgow East parliamentary constituency and the United Kingdom 
			  Not seasonally adjusted 
			   Glasgow East( 1)  United Kingdom( 2) 
			   Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			  
			 January 2010 4,022 7.2 1,654,025 4.3 
			 1. Proportions for constituencies in Scotland, from 2007 onwards, are calculated using the mid-2006 resident working age population. 2. Proportions for regions and countries from 2009 onwards are calculated using the mid-2008 resident working age population. This is different from the headline claimant count figures which are seasonally adjusted and use a denominator based on workforce jobs and claimant count to calculate the claimant count rate.  Source: Jobcentre Plus Administrative System

WORK AND PENSIONS

Carbon Monoxide: Poisoning

Tom Levitt: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps she plans to take to reduce the incidence of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Jonathan R Shaw: The primary focus of Government work to reduce the incidence of carbon monoxide poisoning is to ensure that consumers use competent engineers to undertake work on their appliances. The Gas Safe Register, established by HSE in 2009, provides consumers with a clear route to find competent engineers and works to promote better public awareness of gas safety risks and the dangers arising from carbon monoxide. Since 1 April 2009 the Gas Safe Register have been undertaking a significant gas safety and carbon monoxide awareness raising campaign aimed at consumers, including national TV and online advertising, coverage on consumer programmes and national and regional radio and newspaper reporting.
	There are other complementary Government work streams relating to carbon monoxide, including the Department for Communities and Local Government's recent consultation on amendments to the Building Regulations which proposed the compulsory installation of carbon monoxide alarms when a new or replacement solid fuel appliances are installed, a Health Protection Agency's study to assess the effectiveness of campaigns in increasing the knowledge of CO and Department of Health research into the long term effects of exposure to carbon monoxide.
	Additionally, the Cross Government Group on gas safety and CO awareness, which covers all combustion fuels, aims to share knowledge and information and develop effective strategies to improve gas safety and tackle carbon monoxide risks from all fuels.

Departmental Temporary Employment

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which companies were contracted by her Department for the provision of temporary staff in each of the last three years; how many temporary staff were employed by her Department in each such year; and what the monetary value was of contracts with each such company in each such year.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 22 February 2010
	The DWP has a contract with Brook Street for the provision of temporary staff since September 2007; prior to this the service was contracted through Reed Employment plc (full UK coverage) and Hays Specialist Services (London only).
	The expenditure and numbers of temporary staff were as follows:
	
		
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 (year to date December) 
			   Expenditure (£ million)  Headcount (average)  Expenditure (£ million)  Headcount (average)  Expenditure (£ million)  Headcount (average) 
			 Total 6.48 unknown 10.2 (1)270 4.6 (1)215 
			 Brook Street 0.076 - 3.5 - 4.6 - 
			 Reed 0.432 - 0.312 - 0 - 
			 Hays 4.5 - 3.5 - 0 - 
			 Other 1.48 - 2.9 - 0 - 
			 (1) Headcount figures are averaged across the period noted. 
		
	
	The headcount for temporary staff for 2007-08 is not available centrally as DWP did not capture management information as standard across the various suppliers for the periods in question.

Departmental Theft

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to deter theft from within the Department.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department takes extensive measures to protect our assets and to deter theft.
	The physical security of all our premises complies with central Government security standards. The measures we use to prevent unauthorised access and to protect our assets include entry controls, pass systems, security guarding, CCTV and intruder detection systems.
	All employees are required, as part of their conditions of employment, to safeguard the Department's assets, and to take care to ensure that no loss or damage occurs. Suspected thefts will, where appropriate, be referred to the police, and the Department will strongly support any ensuing police action.
	All employees have been required to undertake security awareness training in the past year, which covers the protection of the Department's assets. We have issued reminders to employees to protect valuable assets and the information on them, when off the Department's premises.
	We require all portable IT equipment, such as laptops and memory sticks, to be encrypted. The same applies to BlackBerry phones. This means that these items will not work if stolen.

Departmental Travel

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if she will publish the travel guidance issued to staff of her Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

Jonathan R Shaw: The DWP has a detailed travel policy which seeks to promote consistent and best value use of transport options by its staff. It is made available to all staff through its intranet site.
	This policy is currently under review, however the full text of existing policy has been placed in the Library along with details relating to the Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies.
	The following non-departmental public bodies follow the Department for Work and Pensions travel guidance:
	Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board
	Equality 2025
	Industrial Injuries Advisory Council
	Pensions Ombudsman
	Pensions Protection Fund Ombudsman
	Social Security Advisory Committee.

Disability Living Allowance: Tribunals

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many appeal tribunals related to disability living allowance took place in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: I have been asked to reply.
	The number of tribunal appeals relating to disability living allowance for each of the last five years is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Financial year  Cases disposed of at a hearing 
			 April 2005 to March 2006 71,125 
			 April 2006 to March 2007 65,088 
			 April 2007 to March 2008 57,824 
			 April 2008 to March 2009 53,880 
			 April 2009 to February 2010 48,077 
			 Total 295,994

Employment: Disabled

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people living in the City of York have moved into work in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is not available.

Employment: Disabled

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many disabled people living in Milton Keynes have moved into work in each of the last three years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information requested is not available.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department paid to the Government Car and Despatch Agency in each of the last five years; how much it has spent on such payments in 2009-10; and what proportion of such payments was made in respect of the Government Car Service.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department's expenditure with the Government Car and Despatch Agency is detailed in the following table.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2004-05 n/a 
			 2005-06 390,700 
			 2006-07 407,800 
			 2007-08 415,900 
			 2008-09 779,865 
			 2009-10 (nine months to December) 479,497 
		
	
	The Department does not hold this information for 2004-05. The data for 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 relates to the use of ministerial cars and the car for the permanent secretary only. The expenditure for 2008-09 and for the first nine months of 2009-10 includes all departmental expenditure with the Government Car and Despatch Agency. The proportional split of expenditure the Government Car Service could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Housing Benefit

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what expenditure her Department has incurred on the local housing allowance scheme since it was introduced.

Helen Goodman: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Local housing allowance expenditure 
			   In cash terms (£ million) 
			 2004-05 199 
			 2005-06 332 
			 2006-07 379 
			 2007-08 422 
			 2008-09 1,863 
			  Source: Local authority subsidy claims. 
		
	
	In 2004-05 nine Pathfinder local authorities piloted the local housing allowance. In 2005 the pilot was extended to 18 local authorities.
	From April 2008 the local housing allowance was used by all 408 local authorities for new claims from renters in the deregulated private sector, replacing the Local Reference Rent scheme.
	The Department also provided around £9 million of funding to the Pathfinder local authorities, and £59 million to fund the administrative costs of national implementation.

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Fife and  (b) Scotland receive local housing allowance.

Helen Goodman: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Housing benefit recipients-local housing allowance tenants: Great Britain November 2009 
			   Number 
			 Scotland 52,590 
			 Fife local authority 3,470 
			  Notes: 1. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 2. Local housing allowance tenants may include a small number of non-LHA cases making a new claim since 7 April 2008. This will include recipients in caravan accommodation. 3. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 4. The data refer to benefit units, which may be a single person or a couple. 5. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and November 2009 and are the most recent available. 6. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases. An extended payment is a payment that may be received for a further four weeks when they start working full-time, work more hours or earn more money. 7. Data from SHBE incorporate the local authority changes from 1 April 2009.  Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE)

Housing Benefit: Young People

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people under the age of 19 years who are not in employment, education or training are living in supported housing schemes; what assessment she has made of the effects of housing benefit levels on the prospects of such people obtaining employment; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: The information requested is not available. Figures on the total number of young people under the age of 19 years who are not in employment, education and training and living in supported housing schemes are not collected centrally.
	The Government are committed to ensuring that there are suitable employment and training opportunities for all and that the system of working age benefits provides effective support for people to return to work. Young people are a specific priority. In December 2009 we published 'Investing in Potential', our cross-Government strategy for increasing the proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds in education, employment or training.
	Housing benefit is an income-related benefit designed to help people who rent their home and have difficulty in meeting reasonable housing costs. There is no age restriction and it can be paid to people whether or not they are working or training. Full-time students in non-advanced and further education who are aged less than 21 may also get housing benefit. We have recently launched the Working Benefits campaign to help advisers explain to their clients the in-work support that this benefit can offer and make it clear that help with housing costs is still available to people in work or training on a low income.
	On 15 December 2009 we launched the consultation document 'Supporting People into Work: The next stage of Housing Benefit Reform' which examines how housing benefit might play a part in encouraging people to work. It contained proposals that will improve incentives for people to get a job, building on an on-going programme of IT projects and financial help designed to smooth the transition for our customers as they move into work.
	Many single young people aged under 25 will have the amount of their rent which is eligible for help with housing benefit restricted to the amount they would pay on a shared room basis, regardless of the property they rent. This reflects the fact that this group commonly have earnings prospects well below those of older people and addresses any possible disincentive to work that may arise from meeting high rent levels a person could not afford while in work.
	However the housing benefit rules recognise the additional costs that might arise from the provision of supported housing. For this group no account is taken of a person's age in working out what help is available and help for those living in the social and voluntary sectors is usually based on the contractual rent.

Occupational Pensions: Regulation

John Penrose: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason the cost to businesses of external advice to comply with the provisions of the Pensions Act 2008 was not included in her Department's estimate of the cost to the private sector.

Angela Eagle: The Workplace Pension Reform Regulations Impact Assessment, published January 2010, makes clear we have not calculated the costs to employers of seeking external advice, as the regulations do not require employers to seek such advice on how to implement or comply with the reforms.
	The Government are working closely with both the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority and the Pensions Regulator and already have plans in place to provide employers with information and support both before and during the implementation of the reform. The Pension Regulator's communication and education campaign is being designed to help employers and the intermediaries employers rely on for help, to understand what must be done to meet the new employer duties.
	Employers who still choose to seek advice from external bodies on top of the information provided by the Department and the Pensions Regulator must anticipate a benefit from this advice that outweighs the cost.

Pension Credit: Glasgow

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people are in receipt of pension credits in Glasgow East constituency; and what the average weekly payment was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Angela Eagle: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Recipients of pension credit in the Glasgow, East constituency , August 2009 
			   Number/£ 
			 Individual beneficiaries 9,340 
			 Households recipients 7,850 
			 Average weekly award of pension credit (£) 60.56 
			  Notes: 1. Case load figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. Beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are claiming. 3. Pension credit is claimed on a household basis. The average weekly award of pension credit is in relation to the household. 4. Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.

Pension Credit: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Milton Keynes receive  (a) basic state pension and  (b) pension credit; and what the average weekly amount of pension credit received is.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is in the following table.
	
		
			  Milton Keynes local authority 
			   Date  Number/£ 
			 People in receipt of basic state pension March 2009 29,200 
			 Individual beneficiaries of pension credit August 2009 8,820 
			 Households in receipt of pension credit August 2009 7,200 
			 Average weekly award of pension credit (£) August 2009 57.98 
			 (1) Numbers in receipt of Basic State Pension rounded to nearest 100. (2) Pension credit caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. (3) Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. Beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are claiming. (4) Pension credit is claimed on a household basis. The average weekly award of pension credit is in relation to the household. (5) Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.  Source s :  Basic State Pension Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5 per cent sample. The figures have been adjusted in line with the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent data.  Pension Credit DWP Information Directorate Work and Pension Longitudinal study 100 per cent. date

Pension Credit: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in City of York local authority area receive  (a) basic state pension and  (b) pension credit; and what the average weekly amount of pension credit received is.

Angela Eagle: As at March 2009, there were 36,800 recipients of the basic state pension in York local authority.
	 Notes
	1. Figures are subject a high degree of sampling error and should be used as a guide.
	2. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 100.
	3. Totals may not sum due to rounding.
	 Source
	Department for Work and Pensions, Information Directorate, 5 per cent. sample
	The information requested on the number of recipients of pension credit in York local authority and the average weekly award of pension credit received is in the following table:
	
		
			  As at August 2009  Number/£ 
			 Individual beneficiaries 8,010 
			 Households recipients 6,650 
			 Average weekly award of pension credit (£) 47.51 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves or on behalf of themselves and a partner. Beneficiaries are the number of claimants in addition to the number of partners for whom they are claiming. 3. Pension credit is claimed on a household basis. The average weekly award of pension credit is in relation to the household. 4. Parliamentary constituencies and local authorities are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what requirements apply to people found to have committed benefit fraud to repay money defrauded; and what mechanisms are in place to recover the money in such cases;
	(2)  whether a claimant who has committed benefit fraud is required to repay the sum defrauded before making a further claim for benefit.

Helen Goodman: The Department seeks to minimise the amount of fraud arising in the system. Proportionally, fraud in the benefit system is now over 60 per cent. less than it was in 2000-01.
	When benefit fraud is discovered the resultant overpayment is pursued in all cases and priority is given to fraud cases to ensure that the time delay between discovery and recovery is kept to a minimum. The mechanics of the recovery of the overpayment will vary depending on the value of the debt and the circumstances of the customer, but will include one or more of the following:-
	Compulsory recovery from ongoing benefit entitlement;
	Recovery by lump sum or instalment for those no longer in receipt of benefit;
	Seizure of assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act;
	Compensation order awarded by the courts;
	Referral to a private sector partner to undertake debt recovery where appropriate; and
	Enforcement of the debt through civil court where appropriate.
	A customer is not required to repay the sum defrauded before making a further claim to benefit, though we would take deductions from future benefit payments to recover the debt. The maximum rate for recovery of overpayments arising from fraudulent activity is greater than it is for ordinary overpayments.

Social Security Benefits: Fraud

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many fraudulent benefit claims were detected in each of the last five years; how many such cases resulted in  (a) administrative penalties,  (b) cautions,  (c) prosecutions and  (d) convictions in each of these years; and how many of those convicted received a (i) custodial sentence, (ii) community sentence and (iii) discharge in each of these years;
	(2)  what sanctions are available to her Department with respect to people found to have committed benefit fraud; and how many and what percentage of people found to have committed benefit fraud received each type of sanction in each of the last five years.

Helen Goodman: The Department for Work and Pensions has three criminal sanctions available for use in cases of benefit fraud. These are cautions, administrative penalties and criminal prosecutions.
	In addition, the 'Two Strike' 13 week loss of benefit sanction applies to those who have been convicted twice of benefit fraud within a set period. From 1 April 2010 the Department will also be able to apply a 'One Strike' four week loss of benefit sanction to those who have been convicted of benefit fraud for the first time, as well as to those who have accepted an administrative penalty or caution.
	If a benefit claim is confirmed as fraudulent following an investigation, one of the above criminal sanctions will be applied in all cases. The figures provided in the following tables represent the number of fraudulent benefit claims detected in each of the last five years.
	The available information for both Department for Work and Pensions and local authority administered benefits is provided. Information on local authority prosecutions and convictions is not yet available for 2008-09.
	
		
			  Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits 
			   Number of administrative penalties issued  Number of cautions issued  Number prosecuted for benefit fraud  Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences 
			 2004-05 8,510 9,997 10,295 9,219 
			 2005-06 10,870 10,543 10,262 8,740 
			 2006-07 9,810 11,976 8,964 6,861 
			 2007-08 8,566 12,821 10,274 7,745 
			 2008-09 7,160 14,320 8,840 6,700 
			  Sources: 1. Administrative penalty and caution data is taken from the Fraud Information by Sector system (FIBS) and the Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS). 2. Prosecution and conviction data for England and Wales is taken from DWP/DH Legal Group's computerised information system. 3. Prosecution and conviction data for Scotland is taken from FIBS and FRAIMS. 
		
	
	
		
			  Local authority administered benefits 
			   Number of administrative penalties issued  Number of cautions issued  Number prosecuted for benefit fraud  Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences 
			 2004-05 4,496 6,649 5,544 4,688 
			 2005-06 6,199 9,708 7,717 6,234 
			 2006-07 6,742 10,662 6,023 5,860 
			 2007-08 8,416 12,569 6,611 6,493 
			 2008-09 (1)- (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			 (1) Unavailable.  Note: The decision to prosecute is taken by the appropriate local authority.  Source: Housing Benefit Operational Database (HOBOD) using local authority administrative returns. 
		
	
	Information relating to how many individuals convicted of benefit fraud received a custodial sentence, community sentence or discharge is only available for Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits. The available information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Department for Work and Pensions administered benefits 
			   Number of convictions for benefit fraud offences  Number of  custodial s entences given  Number of community s entences given  Number of discharges given 
			 2004-05 9,219 601 2,492 2,652 
			 2005-06 8,740 919 2,927 2,441 
			 2006-07 6,861 616 2,415 1,734 
			 2007-08 7,745 522 2,780 2,207 
			 2008-09 6,700 467 2,507 1,516 
			  Sources: 1. Information for England and Wales is taken from DWP/DH Legal Group's computerised information system. 2. Information for Scotland is taken from the Fraud Information by Sector system (FIBS) and the Fraud Referral and Intervention Management System (FRAIMS).

Social Security Benefits: Publicity

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what her policy is on the provision of  (a) information and  (b) information leaflets on (i) attendance allowance and (ii) other welfare benefits in (A) post offices, (B) libraries and (C) other public places.

Helen Goodman: There is currently no contractual agreement between the Department for Work and Pensions and the Post Office for the display of leaflets about attendance allowance or any welfare benefits.
	While there is no national agreement for the display of leaflets at libraries, doctors surgeries, council offices and citizens advise bureaux there are a number of routes that ensure the availability of leaflets at these locations:
	The Pension Service's local service teams, located throughout England, Scotland and Wales, have local partnerships with external organisations and formally monitor the use and availability of leaflets at 'Hard Copy Information Points' on partner premises. They also share local knowledge and experience of which leaflets are the most popular and most useful to our customers.
	The 62,000 subscribers to the Central Office of Information's Publicity Register receive a quarterly magazine called 'Touchbase' which provides details of current and forthcoming information campaigns. Subscribers are also able to order leaflets directly from the Department through its on-line catalogue of information products.
	The Department has a commercial agreement in place to provide key Pension Service and Disability and Carer Service leaflets in more than half of all doctors waiting rooms and pharmacies across the UK. The cost of this service is met directly by the Department and the information provided by it is available free of charge to the public.
	Customers can also access the Department's leaflets and the latest information about benefits and services online at the Directgov website.

State Retirement Pensions

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment she has made of the merits of uprating earnings-related state pensions at the same rate as the basic state pension from April 2010.

Angela Eagle: The conventions on uprating state pensions are concerned with maintaining their price value. Had we applied those rules this year, when inflation as measured by the September retail Price Index was minus 1.4 per cent. pensioners would not have received a rise in their State pension.
	However, we are committed to getting help to the 11 million pensioners in Great Britain, many of whom are facing difficulties in the current economic climate. We are determined that the fairest and most effective way was to apply an above inflation increase of 2.5 per cent. to the basic state pension. This will be worth around £1 billion to pensioners and will mean that on average state pension recipients will see an overall increase of 2 per cent. in their state pension. At the same time we have increased the pension credit standard minimum guarantee by £2.60 a week for single pensioners and £3.95 for couples to help the poorest pensioners.
	By contrast, increasing additional State pension would have a widely variable effect on the help given to pensioners. For example, very elderly female pensioners receiving on average £5 of additional pension a week would only see an increase of a few pence each week on their state pension. However, others, typically younger male pensioners who had higher earnings, could see increases closer to around £4 a week. Increasing the basic state pension means that help is provided to more pensioners with a more even distribution.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Community Development

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has set a timetable for reaching agreement with the Local Government Association on the proposals on the shortlist produced under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007 to be implemented.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 17 March 2010
	The Government are carefully considering each of the 199 short-listed proposals submitted by the selector body, the Local Government Association (LGA) under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007. We are now discussing these with the LGA as part of the process of seeking to reach agreement required by the Act.

Departmental ICT

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what information technology projects initiated by  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies were cancelled prior to completion in the last 12 months; and what the cost of each such project was to the public purse.

Barbara Follett: The Department and its agencies have not cancelled any IT projects in the last 12 months.

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Barbara Follett: The property recorded as  (a) lost or  (b) stolen from Communities and Local Government in the last 12 months and the estimated cost of the replacement of that property is as follows:
	 Departmental property reported as stolen
	Five BlackBerrys-valued at approximately £1,000 (£200 each)
	Six laptop computers-valued at approximately £6,000 (£1,000 each)
	One mobile phone-valued at approximately £200
	One mobile phone charger-valued at approximately £10
	None of the information contained on laptops, or BlackBerry's was classified. However, each laptop was password protected and the BlackBerry's were both encrypted and password protected.
	 Employee property reported as stolen
	One bottle of aftershave-nil replacement cost for the Department.
	 Employee property reported as lost
	One Apple iPhone-nil replacement cost for the Department

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of senior civil servants in his Department were awarded a bonus in 2009; and what the  (a) highest,  (b) lowest,  (c) mean,  (d) median and  (e) mode bonus awarded was.

Barbara Follett: The following table sets out the details of performance related payments made to senior civil servants in the Department for Communities and Local Government following the 2009 pay award, broken down into £5,000 bands.
	
		
			   Details of performance related payments 
			 Number of performance related payments made 102 
			   
			 Proportion this represents (percentage) 76 
			   
			 Highest in the range £10,001 to £15,000 
			 Lowest in the range £0 to £5,000 
			 Mean in the range £5,001 to £10,000 
			 Median in the range £5,001 to £10,000 
			 Mode in the range £0 to £5,000

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of his Department's Board members who were civil servants working in his Department were awarded a bonus in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009; and what the highest bonus paid was in each of those years.

Barbara Follett: The Communities and Local Government Board consists of eight senior civil servants (SCS) and currently five non-executive members. CLG only holds records of those who are civil servants within Communities and Local Government.
	In 2008 all eight executive board members received a performance related payment. The highest payment made was in the range of between £20,000 and £25,000.
	In 2009, the permanent secretary volunteered to forgo a bonus. The seven other executive members received a performance related payment. The highest payment made in the range of between £10,000 and £15,000.
	An element of the Communities and Local Government overall pay award is allocated to non-consolidated variable pay related to performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives.
	Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls, and have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs. The percentage of the pay bill set aside for performance-related awards for the SCS is based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) highest,  (b) lowest,  (c) mean,  (d) median and  (e) mode salary paid to (i) senior civil servants in his Department and (ii) his Department's Board members who were senior civil servants was following the 2009 pay award.

Barbara Follett: The following table sets out salary details of senior civil servants in the Department for Communities and Local Government following the 2009 pay award broken down into £5,000 bands.
	
		
			   Within the below salary range 
			 Highest £175,000 to £180,000 
			 Lowest £55,000 to £60,000 
			 Mean £80,000 to £85,000 
			 Median £70,000 to £75,000 
			 Mode £55,000 to £60,000 
		
	
	Of these senior civil servants eight were board members in 2009, and salary details of these are set out in the following table broken down into £5,000 bands.
	
		
			   Within the below salary range 
			 Highest £175,000 to £180,000 
			 Lowest £105,000 to £110,000 
			 Mean £145,000 to £150,000 
			 Median £150,000 to £155,000 
			 Mode n/a 
			 n/a = Not applicable.

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many senior civil servants there were in his Department at the time of the 2009 pay award; how many of them received a pay award excluding any bonuses; what the  (a) lowest,  (b) highest,  (c) mean,  (d) median and  (e) mode pay award was; and how many such officials (i) received a fully consolidated increase in salary and (ii) received a pay award but no increase in salary.

Barbara Follett: At the time of the 2009 pay award 134 senior civil servants were included in the annual pay assessment for the main Communities and Local Government Department. Of these, 112 received a fully consolidated increase in salary and one received a non-consolidated pay award but no increase in salary.
	The following table sets out the increases in salary of the senior civil servants in the Department for Communities and Local Government following the 2009 pay award, broken down into £5,000 bands.
	
		
			   Within the range 
			 Highest £10,000 to £15,000 
			 Lowest £0 to £5,000 
			 Mean £0 to £5,000 
			 Median £0 to £5,000 
			 Mode £0 to £5,000

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 12 October 2009,  Official Report, columns 312-3W, on departmental pay, what contractual arrangements led to the payment of a non-consolidated sum to Mr. Falvey.

Barbara Follett: The Department does not release information about individual employee's contractual arrangements.

Homelessness: Young People

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans his Department has to increase support for young homeless people seeking permanent accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Austin: Government have recently provided £30 million capital funding over three years from Communities and Local Government that will provide up to 500 new places in Foyers and specialist supported housing through the National Affordable Housing Programme.
	Since September the following allocations have been made:
	
		
			  Client group  Grant (£)  Units 
			 Teenage parents 3,228,924 43 
			 Young people at risk 6,562,003 134 
			 Young people leaving care 90,000 2 
			 Total for supported housing for 16 to 17-year-olds 9,880,927 179 
		
	
	In addition local authorities provide a broad range of assistance and support for all ages which young people will also benefit from.
	The Supporting People programme provides revenue funds for local authorities to commission housing related support services for vulnerable people in their area, to enable them to develop independent living skills. Data relating to the supply of and spend on Supporting People housing related support services are collected retrospectively. The following table shows the national spend, per primary client group, for the year 2007-08 for the three 'young person' client groups reportable for Supporting People.
	
		
			  Supporting People spend on the three Young Person client groups 
			   2007-08 spend (£) 
			 Teenage parents 23,403,241 
			 Young people at risk 124,728,170 
			 Leaving care 11,853,858

Housing: Sustainable Development

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment he has made of progress in the provision of affordable sustainable homes; and whether his Department was represented at the Ecobuild exhibition and conference held in London in March 2010.

John Healey: I receive regular reports on the performance of the Homes and Communities Agency programmes which promote affordable sustainable homes. For example, in 2008-09, funding was allocated through the National Affordable Housing programme to support over 50,000 homes being built to level 3 or above of the code for sustainable homes. Ninety per cent. of proposals I've approved under this year's Local Authority New Build programme are at code level 4. The Social Housing Energy Saving programme is delivering cavity wall insulation in an estimated 108,000 homes.
	The Department had a stand at the Ecobuild conference and exhibition held in March in London, as it has in previous years. I spoke at the conference and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State visited the event. Several CLG officials gave speeches, chaired sessions or were present at the Department's stand to answer questions from visitors to the event.

Non-Domestic Rates

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the combined rateable value of hereditaments in each local authority area is on the  (a) 2005 and  (b) draft 2010 Rating List.

Barbara Follett: holding answer 20 January 2010
	I have placed in the Library of the House a table showing the total rateable value for all hereditaments in Local List for England broken down by billing authority on the 2005 and the draft 2010 Rating Lists as at 2 November 2009. These data are consistent with the statistical release titled: Non-domestic rateable values: 2010 Local Rating Lists-England and Wales, published on 18 December 2009. A copy of this statistical release is available at the following link:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/publications/statistical_releases/VOA_Statistics_Release_Final.pdf
	The rateable values have been rounded to the nearest £1,000.
	The five-yearly business rates revaluations make sure each business pays its fair contribution and no more by ensuring the share of the national rates bill paid by any one business reflects changes over time in the value of their property relative to others. The 2010 revaluation will not raise a single extra penny for Government.
	Over a million properties will see their business rate liabilities come down as a result of revaluation. The Government intend to put in place a £2 billion relief scheme to limit the impact on the minority with bill increases, which in 2010-11 will ensure no business property sees its rates bill increase by more than 11 per cent. as a result of the revaluation, with maximum increases capped at just 3.5 per cent. for small properties. That is on top of the wider support available to help ease business pressures including discounted rate bills for small businesses and deferring tax payments.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons the Valuation Office Agency drew up a rating list in 2005 for port businesses.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	Valuation officers are required under section 41 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 every five years (starting on 1 April 1990) to compile and then maintain accurate rating lists. New rating lists were therefore required on 1 April 2005 The circumstances leading to the review of the ports were explained in the answer given to him on 2 March 2010,  Official Report, column 1153W.

Planning Permission: National Policy Statements

Paul Truswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to publish the guidance to local authorities on National Policy Statements referred to by Baroness Andrews on 18 November 2008,  Official Report,  House of Lords, column 1019.

Ian Austin: The local authorities guidance will be published in due course.

Preventing Violent Extremism Community Leadership Fund

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on what projects and programmes Preventing Violent Extremism funds will be spent in Northamptonshire in 2009-10.

Shahid Malik: As my hon. Friend will be aware, this Department has, since April 2008, funded local authorities to undertake Prevent work through Area Based Grant, which in line with Government policy is not ring-fenced. This means that local authorities themselves decide how to support and deliver a diverse set of projects and programmes at local level with the Prevent funding provided by this Department. Funding is provided at a unitary or district level. Northampton borough council is receiving a total of £443,122 from 2008-09 to 2010-11, as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2008-09 105,000 
			 2009-10 143,292 
			 2010-11 194,830 
		
	
	The local authority will be able to provide specific information on which projects and programmes are being funded.

Supported Housing: Young People

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of young people under the age of 19 years are living in supported housing schemes; and what the maximum weekly housing benefit payable to such people is.

Ian Austin: Figures on the total number of young people living in supported housing schemes are not collected centrally. There is no universal definition of supported housing, the different data sources CLG collects contain information on different types of supported housing (therefore the two following data sets are not comparable).
	Of the 32,813 clients under the age of 19 years who accessed housing related support services funded by the Supporting People programme between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009, 15,155 (46 per cent.) entered supported housing.
	The Continuous Recording (CORE) of lettings provides information on the number of supported housing lettings in the social housing sector. Between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009, CORE estimates that 15,200 new supported housing lettings were provided to households headed by a young person under 19. Of all under-19s receiving new social housing lets, 60 per cent. were provided with supported housing.
	Those who live in either social or voluntary sector supported housing will have their housing benefit based on their actual rent, which may be limited to a reasonable amount for the property that they occupy where necessary. In the private sector, single young people aged under 25 have their rent restricted to that of shared accommodation, unless they are severely disabled or aged under 22 and have previously been in care.

Trade Unions

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff of  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) the Audit Commission are seconded to trade unions; what facilities are made available to those staff; how many days other staff of each organisation spent on trade union activity in the latest year for which figures are available; and what recent estimate has been made of the annual cost to the public purse of union activity by staff of each organisation.

Barbara Follett: The main Department pays the cost of two full-time staff trade union representatives. In 2008-09 the total cost was approximately £95,000. CLG also pays the cost of a number of part time staff. The total amount allocated for trade union activities for 2008-2009 was £192,000, and the number of days staff in the Department spent on all trade union activities was 1,075.50 days.
	Basic office facilities are available to these staff e.g. office space, telephones, desks, chairs, cupboards, personal computers and stationery.
	Records for CLG agencies and the Audit Commission are not held centrally.

TREASURY

Business: Government Assistance

Ken Purchase: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Wolverhampton have been visited by representatives of his Department's time to pay initiative during the recent recession.

Stephen Timms: Since its introduction on 24 November 2008 and up until 7 March 2010, HMRC's Business Payment Support Service (BPSS) has agreed over 303,000 time to pay arrangements with businesses in the UK to spread tax payments of just under £5.2 billion over a period they can afford.
	During the same period, BPSS agreed 990 time to pay arrangements worth £20 million with businesses in Wolverhampton.

Business: Government Assistance

Ken Purchase: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the monetary value of capital allowances to UK industry in the latest year for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The value to UK industry of capital allowances arises from the tax relief given against profits from specific capital allowances on investment. As set out in the 2009 pre-Budget report, the latest estimate of the value of the relief is £21,100 million for 2009-10:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/pbr09_taxreadyreckoner.pdf

Revenue and Customs: Data Protection

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to reduce the number of incidents of staff misuse of customer data at HM Revenue and Customs; and by what means he plans to inform the public of such steps;
	(2)  what steps are being taken in respect of HM Revenue and Customs staff found to have misused customer data.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) introduced a strategic objective to reduce incidences of customer data misuse by at least 75 per cent. between 2009 and 2012. The Department's planned actions to achieve this are set out in its annual business plan, with performance against the objective set out in its annual reports, both are available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/reports.htm
	All instances of suspected misuse are thoroughly investigated and are subject to appropriate disciplinary action, with penalties up to and including dismissal and criminal action. All departmental staff must attend mandatory training to reinforce the consequences they face in the event of misusing customer data.

Tax Collection

Iain Duncan Smith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the cost-effectiveness of recovering a debt in respect of which the due and payable date passed more than 12 months earlier;
	(2)  what the  (a) age and  (b) likelihood of recovery is of the debt owed to HM Revenue and Customs totalling more than £27 billion at 31 March 2009; and how much such debt has been outstanding (i) less than six months, (ii) between six and 12 months, (iii) between 12 months and two years, (iv) between two and three years and (v) for more than three years since the due and payable date;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of HM Revenue and Customs' performance in the recovery of taxes owed to the Government.

Stephen Timms: The Committee of Public Accounts examined the Department in its 2009-10 report: 'HM Revenue and Customs: Improving the Processing and Collection of Tax: Income Tax, Corporation Tax, Stamp Duty Land Tax and Tax Credits' (HC 97) published on 10 December 2009 and available at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmselect/cmpubacc/97/97.pdf
	The Government will publish their responses to the Committee's report in a Treasury minute in due course.
	The value and age of unpaid tax debts is shown on page 96 of HM Revenue and Customs' 2008-09 Trust Statement, available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrc-accs-0809.pdf
	Other breakdowns of tax debt by age are available only at disproportionate cost, as HMRC's systems cannot readily produce these.

Taxation: Domicil

Michael Meacher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition of long-term resident of the UK is used for the purposes of determining a person's tax status; and how many days per year are required to be spent in the UK in order to be eligible for that classification.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 9 March 2010
	 The term 'long-term resident' only occurs in UK tax legislation in the context of defining individuals who are required to pay the £30,000 remittance basis charge introduced in Finance Act 2008 where it refers to those who have been resident in the UK for at least seven out of the last nine years.
	An individual's residence status depends upon a number of different factors and is not simply a question of the number of days spent in the UK. Further guidance on residence and domicile issues is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/cnr/hmrc6.pdf

Taxation: Gaming Machines

David Chaytor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of gaming machines in public houses which are not subject to Amusement Machine Licence Duty (AMLD); what representations he has received in respect of the proposal to extend AMLD to include such machines; whether he has  (a) sought and  (b) received advice from the Gambling Commission on the practical arrangements for regulating such machines; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not hold information on the nature of the businesses in which gaming machines are located as this information is not necessary for the administration of Amusement Machine Licence Duty (AMLD).
	Treasury Ministers meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.
	On 26 February, the Government announced a four-month review of skills with prizes machines and the games played on them for the purposes of AMLD. This will be undertaken by HM Treasury and HMRC in consultation with the Gambling Commission and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The review will engage fully with all stakeholders.

Trade Unions

Robert Syms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many days staff of  (a) his Department,  (b) HM Revenue and Customs and  (c) the Valuation Office Agency spent on trade union activity in the latest year for which figures are available; and what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of such activity.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: HM Treasury has one member of staff, grade 7, who spends 0.60 (FTE) of time working as a trade union official. As fewer than five staff are employed to work as union officials it is not HM Treasury policy to provide salary information that could be attributed to an individual.
	As already released in a Freedom of Information Request of 25 September 2009, staff of HM Revenue and Customs spent 48,902 days on trade union activity during the year 2008-09 at an estimated cost to the Department of £5,918,065.
	The total number of days allocated to staff in the Valuation Office Agency for trade union activity in the latest year was 4,861 days. The estimated cost of the Valuation Office Agency trade union activity is £756,193.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many legal proceedings have been instigated for recovery of tax credit overpayments in each quarter since April 2003; what the average overpayment outstanding is for which legal action has been instigated; what the total monetary value is of such overpayments; what estimate he has made of the average cost to the public purse of pursuing such cases through the courts; and how much has been recovered through court action.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) initiates court action only as a last resort.
	The information requested in the following table.
	
		
			  Tax credit cases entered into Court by HMRC 
			   Number  Total Value (£)  Average Value (£) 
			  2008-09( 1)
			 April-June 2008 1,090 7,649,000 7017 
			 July-September 2008 2,623 18,032,000 6874 
			 October-December 2008 887 6,465,722 7289 
			 January-March 2009 1,719 10,889,145 6334 
			 
			  2009-10( 2)
			 April-June 2009 792 4,184,128 5282 
			 July-September 2009 408 1,854,732 4545 
			 October-December 2009 249 2,356,757 9464 
			 N otes: (1 )Includes England and Wales and Scotland (2) Includes England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland 
		
	
	Information for 2006-07 and 2007-08 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as the data for these periods is not centrally held by HMRC's systems.
	No estimate has been made of the cost to the Exchequer of pursuing tax debt through Court Proceedings.
	Information of the amount recovered through court action is only available at disproportionate cost, as HMRC systems do not separately record the amount recovered as a result of court proceedings as distinct from the amounts recovered from all stages of the enforcement process.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many individual tax credit cases which involved overpayments made in  (a) 2005-06,  (b) 2006-07 and  (c) 2007-08 the claimants were prosecuted by his Department for the purposes of recovering such overpayments in each year in which such prosecutions were initiated.

Stephen Timms: The recovery of tax credit overpayments is a civil matter. Therefore, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) does not prosecute but may seek action to recover tax credit debt through the county court system in England and Wales, the Sheriff's court in Scotland and the magistrates court in Northern Ireland. This is only done as a last resort.
	For information on the number of actions commenced in 2006-07 and 2007-08 I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cardiff Central-(Jenny Willott) on 26 November 2008,  Official Report, column 1926W. Information for years prior to 2006-07 is only available at disproportionate cost, as it is not centrally held by HMRC's systems.
	HMRC can and does prosecute for fraud.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Equality and Human Rights Commission

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many properties are  (a) owned and  (b) leased by the Equality and Human Rights Commission; what the cost to the Commission was in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many people work at each property.

Maria Eagle: The EHRC is independent and it manages its own affairs; the following is based on information it has provided.
	 (a) No properties are owned by the Commission.
	 (b) 10 properties are currently leased by the Commission. The Commission will release one of these with effect from 1 April 2010 and is actively seeking to release a further three from its portfolio. In addition the Commission rents space in six Government Offices and the Scottish Government in Edinburgh.
	The cost of these arrangements was £3.6 million per annum in 2009.
	The numbers of people who work at each office location are shown in the table. Figures are taken from the EHRC estates review presented to the EHRC Board in December 2009 and are the latest available.
	
		
			   Headcount( 1)  (total)  FTE( 2)  (total) 
			  Office   
			 1. London (3 More London) 162 155.01 
			 2. Manchester 209 193.09 
			 3. Birmingham 54 49.59 
			 4. Buckingham Palace Road London 6 5.54 
			 5. Glasgow 43 40.38 
			 6. Cardiff (Callaghan Sq) 39 34.47 
			 7. Bangor 3 3.00 
			
			  Vacant property   
			 8. Edinburgh (Old Tun) 0 0 
			 9. Cardiff (Ty Nant Court) 0 0 
			 10. London (Fox Court) 0 0 
			
			  Government Offices   
			 Bristol 2 2.00 
			 Cambridge 3 3.00 
			 Guildford 3 3.00 
			 Leeds 3 3.00 
			 Newcastle 3 3.00 
			 Nottingham 4 4.00 
			
			  Scottish Government   
			 Edinburgh 1 1.00 
			 Edinburgh/Glasgow split 6 6.00 
			 Total 541 506.08 
			 (1) Headcount equals number of EHRC employees excluding those on maternity leave, secondment out or career breaks. (2) FTE equals full time equivalent.  Notes: 1. Six employees work between both Glasgow and Edinburgh sites. 2. The Buckingham Palace Road lease expired in April 2010 and staff are being transferred to the London HQ at 3 More London.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Butterfly World Project

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent meetings Ministers and officials in his Department have had with representatives of Butterfly World Project Ltd.

Margaret Hodge: Neither Ministers nor officials from this Department have met with Butterfly World Project Ltd., as neither the people involved in running this world class attraction nor the local Member of Parliament have asked for a meeting.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many  (a) disciplinary and  (b) capability procedures have been (i) initiated and (ii) completed in his Department in each of the last five years; how much time on average was taken to complete each type of procedure in each such year; how many and what proportion of his Department's staff were subject to each type of procedure in each such year; and how many and what proportion of each type of procedure resulted in the dismissal of the member of staff.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has not had any capability procedures initiated and completed in each of the past five years. The Royal Parks Agency has had two capability procedures initiated and completed in the past five years, neither of which resulted in the dismissal of staff.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has had three disciplinary cases initiated and completed in the past five years, resulting in two dismissals. The Royal Parks Agency has had two disciplinary cases initiated in the last five years, one of which has been completed, neither resulting in dismissal.
	Neither the Department nor Agency keep a record of time spent on such cases.

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Gerry Sutcliffe: During the last 12 months the following items were recorded as lost or stolen.
	
		
			  Item  Date  Recorded lost or stolen  Estimated cost of replacement (£) 
			 Blackberry April 2009 Stolen 200 
			 Secure remote access token June 2009 Lost 12.75 
			 Disc drive June 2009 Lost 25 
			 Laptop July 2009 Stolen 800 
			 Blackberry July 2009 Lost 200 
			 Blackberry July 2009 Lost 200 
			 Laptop July 2009 Stolen 800 
			 Blackberry October 2009 Stolen 200 
			 Mobile phone October 2009 Stolen 120 
			 Secure remote access token November 2009 Lost 12.75 
			 Secure remote access token December 2009 Stolen 12.75 
			 Blackberry February 2010 Stolen £200 
		
	
	During the last 12 months the following works of art have been reported missing from the Government Art Collection and are as yet un-located.
	
		
			  Works of Art  Date  Reported missing  Estimated cost of replacement (£) 
			 The Cathedral Church of St. Peter in Chichester print by Leonard Knyff March 2009 Reported missing from Department for Children, Schools and Families Sanctuary Buildings, London 250 
			 Bambridge on Trial for Murder by a Committee of the House of Commons print after William Hogarth April 2009 Reported missing from the Royal Courts of Justice, London 200 
			 The Railway Station print after W.P. Frith April 2009 Reported as missing from DEFRA, Ashdown House, London 600 
			 Derby Day print after W.P. Frith April 2009 Reported as missing from DEFRA, Ashdown House, London 600 
			 Leaving painting by David Pugh Evans May 2009 Reported missing from British Deputy High Commission, Lagos, Nigeria 500 
			 House Plant 2/25 1971 print by Boyd  Evans May 09 Reported missing from British Deputy High Commission, Lagos, Nigeria 500 
			 Evening Menu 31/70 1975 print by Patrick Caulfield May 2009 Reported missing from British High Commission, Abuja, Nigeria 1600 
			 Untitled string hanging by Peter Collingwood May 2009 Reported missing from British High Commission, Abuja, Nigeria 3000

Museums and Galleries: Newcastle upon Tyne

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  whether Arts Council England has agreed a business plan for the Waygood Art Galley project, High Bridge, Newcastle;
	(2)  how much  (a) revenue and  (b) capital funding Arts Council England has allocated to the Waygood Gallery project, High Bridge, Newcastle to date.

Margaret Hodge: To date Arts Council England has been unable to agree a business plan with the Waygood Gallery. Arts Council England has formally notified the Waygood Gallery that it is considering withdrawing revenue funding from the organisation. The final decision on Waygood Gallery's long-term funding will be made by Arts Council England's north east regional council on 31 March 2010. The Arts Council and Newcastle city council are committed to working closely together to ensure the successful opening of the studios on High Bridge.
	Since 2001, £630,380 was allocated to Waygood Gallery through Arts Council England's Regularly Funded Organisation programme and a further £49,778 was awarded through Arts Council England's lottery funded Grants for the Arts scheme.
	£130,000 was allocated directly to Waygood Gallery from Arts Council England's capital budget.

Museums and Galleries: South West

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants were awarded by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council to non-hub designated museums in the South West in 2009.

Margaret Hodge: The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) has supplied the information in the table of Renaissance grants awarded to non-designated museums in the South West in 2008-09.
	
		
			  Designated collection holder  Grant (£) 
			 Cheltenham Art Gallery 14,608 
			 Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum 14,133 
			 Tank Museum 15,000 
			 Wiltshire Heritage Museum 15,000 
			 National Waterways Museum 15,000 
			 Roman Bath Museum 10,000 
		
	
	In the 2009-10 financial year, two further grants have been announced by the MLA for non-designated museums in the South West and shown in the table.
	
		
			  Designated collection holder  Grant (£) 
			 Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum 100,000 
			 Tank Museum 50,000

Theatre: Young People

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to encourage young people to use the  (a) free theatre tickets available under the A Night Less Ordinary Scheme and  (b) the National Theatre Entry Pass.

Margaret Hodge: The Department provided Arts Council England with £2.5 million to deliver the A Night Less Ordinary scheme. This included a budget for the promotion of the scheme, including the creation of the website:
	www.anightlessordinary.org.uk
	Individual theatres were also assessed on their plans to market the scheme in their local area during the application process.
	The National Theatre Entry Pass scheme is administered solely by the theatre. The Department does not centrally promote either scheme.

Theatre: Young People

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many young people have registered for the National Theatre Entry Pass to date.

Margaret Hodge: To date, 14,814 young people have registered for the National Theatre Entry Pass.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Subsidies

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the performance of the Rural Payments Agency in making payments to farmers on time; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: As of 25 February 2010 over 98,000 farmers from the estimated total claimant population of 107,500 have received a full Single Payment Scheme (SPS) payment from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). 90 per cent. of the estimated total fund of £1.86 billion has now been paid for SPS 2009.
	Some 2,000 of the remaining claims have been processed and resulted in no payment being due. This situation arises where, for example, farmers hold entitlements for the wrong area type, have submitted duplicate claim forms or will receive payment from the devolved Administrations.
	Processing now continues on approximately 7,500 claims where no payment has been made to date and RPA is working to finalise these as quickly as possible. Some of these are complex cases involving probate, business partnership changes and domestic issues. It is likely that work on these claims will reveal that some will not be eligible for payment. Claims which are confirmed will be paid as soon as possible.
	The agency met its first 2009 SPS target of making 75 per cent. of full payments by value, six weeks ahead of its formal target date of the end of January 2010. It has now met the second of its formal targets of making 90 per cent. of full payments, by value, five weeks ahead of its formal date of the end of March 2010.
	RPA is on track to meet its EU target of making 95.238 per cent. of payments by value by the close of the payment window on 30 June 2010.
	The following table shows the agency continues to improve in making SPS payments.
	
		
			  Scheme year  75 per cent. of payments made by value  90 per cent. of payments made by value 
			 2007 22 February 21 May 
			 2008 22 January 16 March 
			 2009 17 December 24 February 
		
	
	Processing continues on claims from all previous scheme years where no payment has been made to date and RPA is working to finalise these as quickly as practicable. The following table shows a summary of these claims.
	
		
			  Single Payment Scheme year  Number of claims outstanding as at 10 March 2010  Number of claims not received full payment as at 10 March 2010 
			 2005 3 574 
			 2006 6 629 
			 2007 33 55 
			 2008 84 100 
			 Total (1)126 1,358 
			 (1) Included within the 126 outstanding claims are three (2005), five (2006), 29 (2007) and 64 (2008) claims that are complex cases involving probate, business partnership changes and domestic issues. It is likely that work on these claims will reveal that some will not be eligible for payment. 
		
	
	Claims which have not received a full payment may be due a top up payment once their entitlements have been reviewed. Further such claims may arise from data correction work within the Rural Payments Agency.

Animal Feed

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether his Department has estimated the effect on  (a) the price of animal feed and  (b) the population of fish of a reduction in the organic content of organic animal foods to below 90 per cent. following the reclassification of fish as a non-agricultural ingredient; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Under EU rules, up to 5 per cent. of the diet of organic livestock other than herbivores may currently consist of non-organic feed. After 1 January 2012 all organic livestock must be fed entirely on organically produced feed and there are concerns about providing a 100 per cent. organic diet with a balanced protein content for pigs and poultry because of the difficulties with sourcing the correct protein ingredients for feed for these animals. We are currently investigating with our Advisory Committee on Organic Standards how the use of fishmeal might contribute to a solution for the problem, including the effects on the price of animal feed and the sustainability of fish stocks from which the fishmeal is sourced.

Animal Welfare

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he plans to reply to the correspondence from Mr. Richard D. Hall of Blaydon on animal mutilation phenomena.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA and its agency, Animal Health, received several items of correspondence from Mr. Hall between May and September 2009, both directly and through my hon. Friend. I replied to my hon. Friend on 19 October, 2009 and regret the intervening delay.

Animal Welfare

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received on the use of bolt guns to end the life of  (a) domestic animals and  (b) livestock; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In the last six months we have received three letters from members of the public and 15 from Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents regarding the use of bolt guns to end the lives of domestic animals. We have received no such letters on the use of bolt guns on livestock.

Biomass: Air Pollution

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs by what mechanisms emissions from biomass boilers will be made compliant with his Department's Air Quality Strategy.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The aim of the air quality strategy for the UK is to protect public health by providing mechanisms for compliance with a number of air pollution concentration objectives.
	The impact of emissions of biomass boilers on air concentrations of pollutants will depend on the dispersion characteristics of the installations and the number of installations affecting any particular location. Guidance has been provided to local authorities, through the British Standards Institution and the Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers on how to apply good design and placement of chimney location and exit height to prevent significant impacts of units on air quality.
	Local authorities, in order to protect public health, have a number of existing powers to guide the outcome of developments incorporating biomass boilers through both the planning system and powers under the Clean Air Act 1993. Taken together with the Renewable Heat Incentive, which encourages the uptake of cleaner appliances, the impact of biomass boilers on air quality should be managed to avoid concentrations in excess of air quality objectives.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent assessment he has made of trends in the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in  (a) England and  (b) Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The latest bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) figures available for the first 11 months of 2009, compared with the equivalent period in 2008, show the following:
	
		
			   England  Gloucestershire 
			  Reactors slaughtered   
			 2008 23,631 2,169 
			 2009 23,068 2,031 
			
			  New herd breakdowns   
			 2008 3,766 273 
			 2009 3,125 198 
			
			  Confirmed new incidents per 100 test in unrestricted herds   
			 2008 5.46 13.69 
			 2009 4.69 10.93 
			  Notes: 1. Data from VetNet are produced three months in arrears and the latest report available is for November 2009. Comparative 2008 data are shown up to November 2008. Therefore data cannot be provided for the last three months. 2. Data from VetNet are provisional and subject to change as more data become available.  Source: VetNet-Animal Health Database 
		
	
	Although the apparent year-on-year reduction in bTB incidence headline indicators (despite the increase in numbers of herds and animals tested for bTB in 2009) is welcome, the Government remain cautious and does not want to read too much into the short-term disease trends, given the cyclical and multifactorial nature of bTB incidence in the endemic areas. The incidence of bTB in parts of England is still far too high for EU standards and we continue to take the fight against the disease very seriously, not least because of the serious impact it has on farmers.
	We have a range of measures in place to help control spread of the disease including routine cattle testing, use of the gamma interferon blood test in prescribed circumstances, pre-movement testing, zero tolerance on movement of cattle with overdue tests and encouraging use of husbandry measures. In addition, vaccination of cattle and/or badgers is potentially a valuable tool as part of a range of measures to control bovine TB. A Badger Vaccine Deployment Project will take place in six high incidence areas each of 100 sq km (25,000 acres) in England, starting in summer 2010.

Breeding of Dogs Act 1991

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991;
	(2)  what funding his Department provides to local authorities to inspect outbuildings for breeding establishments under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991;
	(3)  what recent assessment he has made of the incidence of illegal dog breeding taking place in residential properties and outbuildings;
	(4)  what recent representations he has received from animal welfare charities on backstreet breeding of dogs; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what estimate he has made of the number of dog breeding farms in England.

Jim Fitzpatrick: We have not made any recent assessment as to the effectiveness of the Breeding of Dogs Acts1991. Any future assessment we make of current dog breeding legislation will be conducted in parallel with our consideration on the two recent reports into dog breeding by Professor Sir Patrick Bateson and the Associate Parliamentary Group for Animal Welfare. We have regular discussions with animal welfare groups on a range of welfare topics, including the breeding of dogs.
	We have provided no such funding to local authorities to inspect outbuildings for breeding establishments, we have made no assessment of the incidence of illegal dog breeding taking place on residential properties and outbuildings, and we have made no estimate of the number of dog breeding farms in England.

Cattle: Animal Welfare

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which assessment has been made of the effects on animal welfare of keeping dairy cattle in  (a) very large herds and  (b) herds kept largely under a roof.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA is currently funding a three year project by the Scottish Agricultural College which is investigating the management and welfare of continuously housed cows. It will compare the health of cows in continuously housed systems with those in summer grazing systems, by using culling and fertility data. Work on this research is at an early stage, and is due to be completed at the end of June 2011.
	In relation to herd sizes, in reviewing its risk model for welfare inspections, Animal Health, the body responsible for enforcing animal welfare legislation in England, did not include the size of the herd as a predictive factor to the model as no correlation was found between the size of the herd and compliance with welfare legislation and welfare advisory codes.
	All dairy cattle, in whatever system they are kept, are protected by comprehensive animal welfare legislation. In England, the welfare of cattle is protected by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any animal. The Act also contains a duty of care to animals-this means that anyone responsible for an animal must take reasonable steps to make sure the animal's needs are met. These general requirements are supplemented by detailed requirements in the Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 for calves and cattle such as accommodation, tethering, inspection, feed and water.
	Poor welfare can exist in both intensive and extensive systems. The most significant influence on the welfare of livestock is the stock-keeper, not the system in which is it reared.

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of local authorities' statutory responsibilities for stray dog control under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the impact of the dog control provisions in the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 on animal rescue centres.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA has made no such assessment.

Dairy Farming

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward proposals to introduce a maximum size for dairy herds.

Jim Fitzpatrick: While we recognise the trend is towards fewer, larger dairy herds, we have no plans to introduce proposals on a maximum size for dairy herds.

Dogs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations he has received from animal welfare charities on stray dog control services.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In the past year DEFRA has corresponded with the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, The Dogs Trust and the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home about stray dog control services.

Dogs

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the total dog population in England; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: DEFRA has made no such estimate.

Dogs: Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many prosecutions there were for offences of each type under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 in 2009; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many prosecutions there have been for dog control offences under the Town and Police Clauses Act 1847 in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many prosecutions there have been for dog control offences under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839 in each year since 1997.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under, (i) Breeding Dogs Act 1991, (ii) Town and Police Clauses Act 1847, in England and Wales 1997 to 2008 (latest available) can be viewed in the table.
	The Ministry of Justice Court Proceeding database cannot separately identify offences relating to dogs under the Metropolitan Police Act 1839.
	The Ministry of Justice advise that court proceedings data for 2009 are planned for publication in the autumn of 2010.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against for selected offences relating to dogs, England and Wales 1997 to 2008( 1,2,3) 
			  Offence description  Offences in relation to dogs  Intentionally obstructing or delaying any person in the exercise of his powers of entry or inspection 
			 Statute Town Police Clauses Act 1847, Sec 28(2) to (4) Breeding of Dogs Act 1991 
			 1997 10 1 
			 1998 9 1 
			 1999 14 - 
			 2000 8 1 
			 2001 8 - 
			 2002 7 - 
			 2003 8 - 
			 2004 1 - 
			 2005 4 - 
			 2006 4 - 
			 2007 3 - 
			 2008 1 - 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July, and August 2008.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services in the Ministry of Justice

Floods: Maps

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how the work of his Department in preparing the Ordnance Survey flood maps first published in April 2010 was funded; and if he will make a statement.

Huw Irranca-Davies: DEFRA does not produce Ordnance Survey flood maps. The Environment Agency publishes its maps showing the most up-to-date information available on areas at risk of flooding on a quarterly basis. The next date for publication is the end of March 2010. The map and publication is funded by grant in aid from DEFRA.
	DEFRA is aware of a project initiated by Norwich Union working with Ordnance Survey to map flood risk, but this project has not been funded by DEFRA.

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much his Department paid to the Government Car and Despatch Agency in each of the last five years; how much it has spent on such payments in 2009-10; and what proportion of such payments was made in respect of the Government Car Service.

Dan Norris: The Department's cumulative spend with the Government Car and Dispatch Agency in each of the last five years and for the current year to January 2010 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Total (£) 
			 2004-5 758,687.35 
			 2005-6 1,198,282.79 
			 2006-7 906,287.79 
			 2007-8 709,682.06 
			 2008-9 694,574.07 
			 2009-10(1) 543,727.83 
			 Grand Total 4,811,241.89 
			 (1) Part year to February 2010 
		
	
	Costs to the Department for ministerial cars are reported annually to Parliament by my right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport through written ministerial statements and are available in the Libraries of the House.

Milk: Imports

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many litres of milk a day were imported on average in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 15 March 2010
	Imports of liquid milk are shown in the tables.
	Liquid milk is imported into the UK in two forms, as raw milk for processing by dairies (table 1), or as liquid drinking milk (e.g. pasteurised or UHT milk) (table 2).
	Raw milk is only traded across the Irish border; imports come from the Republic of Ireland for processing by dairies in Northern Ireland.
	
		
			  Table 1: UK imports of raw milk for processing, 2005 to 2009 (all imports across the Irish border) 
			   Imported per year (1,000 litres)  Average imported per day (1,000 litres)( 1) 
			 2005 45,589 125 
			 2006 33,278 91 
			 2007 57,109 156 
			 2008 48,516 133 
			 2009 82,774 227 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000 litres.  Source: DARDNI 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: UK imports of liquid drinking milk, 2005 to 2009( 1) 
			   Imported per year (1,000 litres)  Average imported per day (1,000 litres)( 2) 
			 2005 47,066 129 
			 2006 84,406 231 
			 2007 87,668 240 
			 2008 134,068 366 
			 2009(1) 89,420 245 
			 (1) 2009 data is subject to amendments. (2) Figures are rounded to the nearest 1,000 litres.  Source: H M Revenue and Customs

Poultry: Animal Welfare

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there were for offences relating to unnecessary pain or distress caused to broiler and battery chickens in each of the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 4 March 2010
	The information requested cannot be provided because records are not held centrally.

Rural Payments Agency

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much it cost on average for the Rural Payments Agency to process a single payment in the latest period for which information is available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 16 March 2010
	In their report 'A Second Progress Update on the Administration of the Single Payment Scheme by the Rural Payments Agency', the National Audit Office calculated the average cost for administering a single payment scheme claim as £1,743. We are seeking ways of reducing this figure.

Rural Payments Agency: Legal Costs

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much the Rural Payments Agency spent on legal advice in the last five years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The legal expenditure for 2004-09 financial years including costs incurred by all RPA departments as published in the annual audited accounts is shown in the following table. It is not possible to distinguish between legal advice and other legal expenditure.
	
		
			  Financial year  Total spent on legal fees (£) 
			 2004-05 450,849 
			 2005-06 437,927 
			 2006-07 185,347 
			 2007-08 289,014 
			 2008-09 559,812 
			 Total 1,922,949 
		
	
	The increase in fees for 2008-09 is due to historic long running cases which only culminated in that financial year.
	The costs incurred on the disposal of grain stores are not included in table above because they are accounted for separately. These costs are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Total spent on legal fees (£) 
			 2004-05 65,877.02 
			 2005-06 72,665.80 
			 2006-07 28,730.37 
			 2007-08 18,730.31 
			 2008-09 15,097.98 
			 Total 201,101.48 
		
	
	The figures include costs of external advice, litigation services and costs.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

1 Carlton Gardens

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Pendle of 3 February 2010,  Official Report, column 373W, on Carlton Gardens, what plans he has to extend the lease of 1 Carlton Gardens; and how much has been paid in council tax to date on the residential element of the ministerial residence at 1 Carlton Gardens since that residence became unoccupied.

Chris Bryant: We remain in negotiations with the Crown Estate over lease renewal. £4,295.56 has been paid in council tax from October 2007 to March 2010.

Burma: Forced Labour

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received recent reports on trends in the level of forced labour in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: We continue to be gravely concerned that forced labour, including forced porterage and underage military recruitment remain widespread practices, in marked and continued non-compliance with the Convention on Forced Labour. We note the co-operation, albeit limited, of the Burmese authorities with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) under the ILO's Supplementary Understanding with the Government of Burma, which includes a complaints mechanism for victims of forced labour. We received a report from the ILO last November on progress in the implementation of the Supplementary Understanding and expect a further progress report in advance of the ILO Governing Body session on Burma next week. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials in London and Rangoon are in regular contact with the ILO liaison officer in Rangoon, and met him most recently on 15 March. The EU presidency will make a statement on behalf of member states at the ILO Governing Body next week.

Burma: Gems

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had recent discussions at EU level on the export of gems originating in Burma from Asia to Europe.

Ivan Lewis: There have been no recent discussions on this issue among EU member states. Sanctions were agreed after the crackdown on peaceful protests in late 2008, and the EU imposed a ban on the import of gems from Burma, as well as prohibiting the provision of financial or technical assistance to entities engaged in the mining and processing of precious and semi-precious stones. These measures target the economic interests of the military regime and their cronies. Discussions will begin shortly in Brussels on the annual renewal of all EU measures against Burma, due at the end of April.

Burma: Gems

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the effectiveness of sanctions designed to prevent the export of gems originating in Burma to the EU.

Ivan Lewis: Sanctions prohibiting the export of gems from Burma to the EU were introduced after the crackdown on peaceful protests in late 2007, on the basis that the sector played a particular role in sustaining the military and their grip on power. No formal assessment of the effectiveness of the export ban has been made by the Government, but we continue to believe that targeted sanctions are an important means of maintaining pressure for political reform and respect for human rights in Burma.

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Chris Bryant: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 16 March 2009,  Official Report, column 844W, by my hon. Friend the Member for Lincoln (Gillian Merron); namely, the information required is held separately in various Foreign and Commonwealth Office departments, all of which hold records relating to various losses and thefts of both personal property and official furnishings, including IT equipment losses.
	As this information is not held centrally, providing an accurate answer would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Meetings

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any of his officials were present at meetings attended by Lord Ashcroft and the right hon. Member for Richmond  (a) between 28 March and 3 April 2007 in Belize, Brazil, the Falkland Islands, Iceland, Panama, and the Turks and Caicos,  (b) on 18 and 19 June 2007 in Syria,  (c) between 15 and 17 February 2008 in the United Arab Emirates,  (d) between 13 and 15 May 2008 in Egypt,  (e) between 20 and 23 October 2008 in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia and Georgia,  (f) between 2 and 4 November 2008 in Israel,  (g) between 15 and 17 March 2009 in Cuba,  (h) on 21 October 2009 in the USA,  (i) on 26 and 27 October 2009 in Qatar and  (j) between 30 November and 2 December 2009 in China and Hong Kong.

Chris Bryant: The information requested is not held centrally and is available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Surveys

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the benchmark results of the Civil Service People Survey for his Department and its agencies.

Chris Bryant: The 2009 People Survey results are now available in the Library.
	These results are also available on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/publications-and-documents/publications1/annual-reports/staff-survey-2009

EU Countries: Overseas Workers

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of British citizens working in other EU member states in each of the last 12 months;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of UK citizens working under contract in other EU member states in each of the last five years.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not hold data on the number of British nationals working in other EU member states. The latest figures available for British nationals resident overseas were collected in March 2007. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 23 February 2010 to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr. Davey) which shows the estimated number of British nationals resident in each EU member state during 2006-07.

Greece: Death

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has received a copy of the  (a) coroner's,  (b) police and  (c) toxicology report relating to the death of Stephen Oliver; what recent discussions (i) he, (ii) officials in his Department and (iii) officials in the British Consulate in Corfu have had with the government of Greece on the case of Stephen Oliver; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: We have not received a copy of the coroner's, police or toxicology reports relating to Stephen Oliver's death. In Greece, autopsy reports are not automatically made available to the family of the deceased. If a report has not been released by the Greek coroner's office only a specifically authorised person can make an application for it. As the Greek authorities consider us to be third party in this case, we are unable to request it. The family have been advised to consider appointing the services of a local Greek lawyer who could request it on their behalf. This case has not been raised with the Greek Government by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, nor have we been asked to do so.

Intelligence Services

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the  (a) current and  (b) former policy guidelines issued by his Department to officers of those intelligence services which fall within his responsibilities on interviewing prisoners abroad and on co-operating with interviews conducted by other countries; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: holding answer 11 March 2010
	I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's response of 15 March 2010,  Official Report, column 579W.

Morocco: Christianity

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the treatment of persons with connections to the Christian community in Morocco; and whether any UK citizens have been  (a) deported and  (b) threatened with deportation from Morocco in the last six months.

Ivan Lewis: Our ambassador in Rabat was informed on the evening of 8 March that 12 British citizens were about to be, or had been, expelled from Morocco.
	10 of these British citizens were accused of trying to convert Moroccan children living at the Village of Hope, a Christian run home for abandoned children, to Christianity. Two other individuals were also expelled, separately to those from the Village of Hope.
	In the last six months five other UK citizens have been deported from Morocco. These cases were linked to immigration matters not proselytising. We are not aware of any UK citizens that have been threatened with deportation.

Nigeria: Politics and Government

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Nigeria on violence in the vicinity of Jos;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the Christian community from Jos.

Ivan Lewis: We condemn the appalling recent violence in the vicinity of the city of Jos, and call for the Government of Nigeria to ensure those responsible for crimes are prosecuted, and to address the underlying issues behind the violence.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not recently discussed violence in Jos with the Government of Nigeria, nor representatives of the Christian community there. I raised our concerns with Chief Ojo Maduekwe, the Nigerian Foreign Minister on 15 March. Our High Commissioner in Abuja and senior Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have discussed the issue at Ministerial level, including with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on 8 March as well as with representatives of the Christian community, including Catholic Archbishop Kaigama of Jos and Archbishop Onaiyekan of Abuja. Our High Commission also remains in touch with Anglican Archbishop Kwashi of Jos.

Overseas Residence: Death

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens have died whilst working in Corfu in each of the last three years.

Chris Bryant: We do not keep records for the specific number of British citizens who have died while working, but the number of deaths requiring consular action in Corfu were:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2006-07 30 
			 2007-08 23 
		
	
	The total number of deaths reported to the vice-consulate was:
	2008-09: 15.

Sudan: Elections

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much funding his Department is providing to seek to ensure free and fair elections in Sudan.

Ivan Lewis: Our assistance towards elections in Sudan remains in line with that set out to my hon. Friend by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department for International Development (Mr. Thomas) on 27 January 2010,  Official Report, column 895W.
	We have continued to urge all parties to ensure that credible elections take place in an atmosphere of political freedom. My noble Friend, the Minister for Africa, Glenys Kinnock, met with EU Chief Observer, Veroniqe De Keyser this week to discuss plans for the EU Election Observation Mission in Sudan.

UN Commission on the Status of Women

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcomes were of the 54th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The 54th session of the Commission on the Status of Women met at the UN from 1-12 March. The UK, along with other member states and representatives of non-governmental organisations and UN bodies, participated actively in the meeting, including at ministerial level.
	The Commission reviewed progress in implementing the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the internationally agreed agenda for women's empowerment and gender equality, and identified the remaining obstacles and challenges to the full realisation of all human rights by women. The Commission adopted a political declaration in which member states pledged to work harder to ensure the full implementation of the Beijing Declaration. In addition, the Commission also adopted a number of resolutions on issues including HIV/AIDS; female genital mutilation; women's economic empowerment; and maternal mortality and morbidity. It also agreed a text supporting the establishment of a new UN body devoted to gender equality and women's rights through the consolidation of four existing UN offices which work on gender issues.
	The UK remains committed to working with all other UN member states including through the Commission on the Status of Women to achieve gender equality and equal rights for women.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Lancashire

Janet Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families for what reasons his Department requested Lancashire county council to remove Whitworth Community High School from its Building Schools for the Future bid.

Vernon Coaker: Lancashire county council's 'Readiness to Deliver', submitted in September 2009, did not sufficiently address how its proposals for BSF would manage the issue of surplus capacity in some of its schools. Whitworth Community High School in particular has a projected high level of surplus capacity.
	The authority was invited to revise its 'Readiness to Deliver'. Rather than delay entry into the programme, the authority chose to resubmit a revised scope of schools which did not include Whitworth Community High School, with the intention of addressing the pupil place planning issues in a later phase.

Children in Care: Missing Persons

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children have gone missing from local authority care in each local authority in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information has been placed in the House Libraries.

Children: Carers

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his Department's latest estimate is of the number of children unable to attend full-time education because they care for others in their family; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: These data are not held centrally.
	Supporting young carers and their families is a priority for this Government. Young carers, like all children and young people, are entitled to enjoy their childhood and should not have to take on levels of caring that may be harmful to their education or health. Where young carers and their families need additional support this should be provided.

Children: Databases

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether ContactPoint uses  (a) unique pupil numbers and  (b) unique learner numbers to identify children.

Dawn Primarolo: A unique identity number is used to identify each child record on ContactPoint. This number is generated by ContactPoint and is only used for the purposes of identifying a record on ContactPoint.
	Unique pupil numbers and unique learner numbers are not held as part of every ContactPoint record. It is possible however, for either of these numbers to be sent to ContactPoint with new information supplied by a data source as their chosen reference number. This can be any number used by the data source to identify a record on their system and is used to help match new information to an existing record on ContactPoint. For example all information supplied to ContactPoint by the National Pupil Database has the unique pupil number included as the source system's reference number.

Children: Human Trafficking

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps his Department is taking to introduce a system of guardianship for child victims of trafficking.

Dawn Primarolo: The issue of guardianship for unaccompanied minors, some of whom may be victims of trafficking, was given careful consideration in the last session of Parliament during the debates on the Children and Young Persons Act 2008.
	Unaccompanied, potentially trafficked children will usually enter local authority care and their needs and interests are best protected by the professionals involved in their care working well together and fulfilling their statutory responsibilities to the high standards required. These professionals will include the child's social worker and carers, as well as staff responsible for supporting them to make their claim for asylum in the UK. Each child must also be allocated an Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) who is responsible for chairing regular reviews of their care plans. IROs must make sure that the child understands the plan for their care and is able to take an active part in making this plan. The IRO will need to make a relationship with each child to help them understand the full range of their rights and entitlements, including their right to access independent advocacy support.
	The addition of a guardian to this framework risks adding further complexity and possible duplication to existing arrangements which involve a significant number of professional and concerned individuals. This could be confusing for children themselves and we need to ensure plans for their care and for processing their claims for asylum are effectively co-ordinated.

Free School Meals

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals at the age of 15 progressed to a sixth form college in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: According to estimates from the DCSF matched administrative dataset around 9 per cent. of young people (or 7,000 out of 77,000) who had been in receipt of free school meals age 15 in 2006/07 were in full-time education in sixth form colleges in England in 2007/08. In addition another 37 per cent. were studying in FE colleges and 22 per cent. in schools sixth forms making a total of 68 per cent. in full-time education. This compares with a rate of 60 per cent. in full-time education in 2004/05 for the cohort who had been in receipt of free school meals age 15 in 2003/04.

Further Education

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to provide the same funding to further education students on the same course at a college and a school sixth form.

Iain Wright: Funding for students in colleges and school sixth forms has increased 72 per cent. in seven years. We have delivered our commitment to close the funding gap for like for like learning between schools and colleges by 8 percentage points by the end of the 2008/09 academic year, and we are committed to closing it further as funding allows. Our policy priority is to fund the September Guarantee to ensure every 16 and 17-year-old who wants one has a suitable place in education and training.

Further Education

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he plans to take steps to ensure that funding allocations to further education students on the same course at a college and in school sixth form are made at the same level.

Iain Wright: Funding for students in colleges and school sixth forms has increased 72 per cent. in seven years. We have delivered our commitment to close the funding gap for like for like learning between schools and colleges by 8 percentage points by the end of the 2008/09 academic year, and we are committed to closing it further as funding allows. Our priority is to fund the September Guarantee to ensure every 16 and 17-year-old who wants one has a suitable place in education and training.
	Funding allocations for 2010/11 are currently being finalised and have been made on the same funding rate basis as the 2009/10 allocations. This was in order to fully fund the September Guarantee in increasing 16 to 18 participation to a record 1.6 million learner places, and to meet the Department's 2010-11 efficiency savings commitment.

GCSE

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether he has made an assessment of the merits of adapting GCSE courses and assessments to take account of the requirements of students.

Iain Wright: It is for Ofqual as the independent regulator of qualifications to set criteria for the development by awarding bodies of GCSE assessments to a common standard. Working to those criteria awarding bodies can seek to adapt their exam specifications to meet the needs of different learners to whom they offer exams. It is for Ofqual to regulate the resulting qualifications.
	Section 129 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 sets out the general duties of Ofqual. It requires Ofqual to have regard to the reasonable requirements of those who are seeking to obtain or who might reasonably be expected to seek to obtain regulated qualifications, including those with learning difficulties But it also makes it clear that speaking a different language to that from the language of the teaching or assessment does not itself constitute a learning difficulty.

GCSE: Leeds

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what percentage of year 11 pupils at state schools in Leeds city area achieved five or more A* to C GCSEs in each year since 1992;
	(2)  what percentage of year 11 pupils at state schools in Leeds West constituency achieved five or more grade A* to C GCSEs in each year since 1992.

Vernon Coaker: The requested figures are provided in the following table for all maintained schools including academies and City Technology Colleges. Figures before 1997 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils at the end of Key Stage 4 achieving 5+ A*-C GCSEs or equivalent( 1) 
			  Year( 2)  Leeds West constituency (school location based)  Leeds local authority 
			 1997 24.2 37.4 
			 1998 20.3 37.9 
			 1999 22.5 39.4 
			 2000 25.2 40.4 
			 2001 20.9 39.6 
			 2002 22.7 42.4 
			 2003 25.7 44.4 
			 2004 26.1 45.4 
			 2005 32.4 49.7 
			 2006 38.7 52.2 
			 2007 40.5 55.9 
			 2008 49.3 62.5 
			 2009(3) 53.0 67.4 
			 (1) From 1997/98 includes GNVQ equivalences and from 2003/04 includes other equivalents approved for use pre-16. (2) Percentages are based on pupils aged 15 from 1997 to 2004. From 2005 onwards, percentages are based on pupils at the end of Key Stage 4. (3) Figures for 2009 are based on revised data while earlier years are final figures.

Hotels

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many separate bookings for stays at five star or above hotels were made through the Expotel contract by his Department in the last 12 months; and at what cost.

Diana Johnson: Hotel bookings for stays at five star or above hotels made by the Department for Children, Schools and Families using Expotel for the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009 is:
	One booking at cost of £100.75.
	Data has been provided by Expotel.

Mass Media: GCSE

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils  (a) eligible and  (b) not eligible for free school meals sat GCSE media studies in 2009.

Vernon Coaker: In 2009, 60,047 pupils at the end of key stage 4 were entered for GCSE examinations in media, film and television studies. Of these 7,314 pupils were known to be eligible for free school meals, 52,715 were not eligible for free school meals and there were 18 pupils for whom free school meal eligibility could not be determined.
	These figures relate to pupils in maintained schools only, including CTCs and academies. Information collected on free school meals forms part of the School Census which is only carried out in maintained schools. This free school meal information is then linked to attainment data. It relates to those pupils known to be eligible to receive free meals rather than those in receipt of free meals.

National Curriculum Tests

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children in the 10 per cent.  (a) most and  (b) least deprived areas of the country achieved at least level (a) 2, (b) 2b and (c) 3 in each subject at Key Stage 1 in each year since such assessments were introduced.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is given in the following tables for 2004 and 2009. Figures for all years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Pupils in maintained schools( 1)  achieving Level 2 or above at Key Stage 1 by IDACI decile( 2, 3 ) of pupil residence( 4)  in 2004( 5, 6 ) and 2009( 5) 
			Most deprived 10 per cent.  Least deprived 10 per cent. 
			  Key Stage 1 Reading
			 2004 Number 57,187 48,131 
			  Percentage 74.9 93.4 
			 2009 Number 55,540 43,583 
			  Percentage 75.9 93.0 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Writing
			 2004 Number 53,885 47,165 
			  Percentage 70.7 91.6 
			 2009 Number 51,967 42,636 
			  Percentage 71.0 91.0 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Mathematics
			 2004 Number 64,002 49,537 
			  Percentage 83.9 96.1 
			 2009 Number 60,663 44,760 
			  Percentage 82.9 95.6 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Science
			 2004 Number 62,159 49,663 
			  Percentage 81.2 96.3 
			 2009 Number 58,977 44,864 
			  Percentage 80.6 95.8 
			 (1) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools (including Academies and City Technology Colleges). (2) Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index. (3) IDACI bands for 2008 and 2009 are based on 2007 IDACI scores. Care should be taken when comparing to IDACI tables for 2007 and earlier which are based on 2004 IDACI scores. (4) Only includes pupils who are resident in England. Excludes pupils with missing or invalid postcode information. (5) Data are final. (6) In 2004, new assessment arrangements where only teacher assessments (informed by task/test results) were reported were trialled in some LAs. 2004 figures for reading, writing and maths are based on a combination of test/task and teacher assessment, 2005 and later are based on teacher assessment. 2004 Science figures are based on teacher assessment only. 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupils in maintained schools( 1)  achieving Level 2B( 2)  or above at Key Stage 1 by IDACI decile( 3, 4 ) of pupil residence( 5)  in 2004( 6, 7 ) and 2009( 6) 
			Most deprived 10 per cent.  Least deprived 10 per cent. 
			  Key Stage 1 Reading
			 2004 Number 43,298 43,273 
			  Percentage 56.7 84.0 
			 2009 Number 43,922 39,648 
			  Percentage 60.0 84.6 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Writing
			 2004 Number 35,961 39,251 
			  Percentage 47.2 76.2 
			 2009 Number 33,841 34,952 
			  Percentage 46.2 74.6 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Mathematics
			 2004 Number 48,211 44,916 
			  Percentage 63.2 87.2 
			 2009 Number 45,392 40,104 
			  Percentage 62.0 85.6 
			 (1) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools (including Academies and City Technology Colleges). (2) Level 2B can only be achieved in Reading, Writing and Maths. (3) Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index. (4) IDACI bands for 2008 and 2009 are based on 2007 IDACI scores. Care should be taken when comparing to IDACI tables for 2007 and earlier which are based on 2004 IDACI scores. (5) Only includes pupils who are resident in England. Excludes pupils with missing or invalid postcode information. (6) Data are final. (7) In 2004, new assessment arrangements where only teacher assessments (informed by task/test results) were reported were trialled in some LAs. 2004 figures for reading, writing and maths are based on a combination of test/task and teacher assessment, 2005 and later are based on teacher assessment. 2004 Science figures are based on teacher assessment only. 
		
	
	
		
			  Pupils in maintained schools( 1)  achieving Level 3 or above at Key Stage 1 by IDACI decile( 2, 3)  of pupil residence( 4)  in 2004( 5, 6 ) and 2009( 5) 
			Most deprived 10 per cent.  Least deprived 10 per cent. 
			  Key Stage 1 Reading
			 2004 Number 11,965 21,994 
			  Percentage 15.7 42.7 
			 2009 Number 10,031 18,555 
			  Percentage 13.7 39.6 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Writing
			 2004 Number 6,348 12,708 
			  Percentage 8.3 24.7 
			 2009 Number 4,122 9,546 
			  Percentage 5.6 20.4 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Mathematics
			 2004 Number 12,705 21,294 
			  Percentage 16.7 41.3 
			 2009 Number 8,184 15,576 
			  Percentage 11.2 33.3 
			 
			  Key Stage 1 Science
			 2004 Number 10,767 20,335 
			  Percentage 14.1 39.4 
			 2009 Number 7,876 16,501 
			  Percentage 10.8 35.2 
			 (1) Includes pupils attending all maintained schools (including Academies and City Technology Colleges). (2) Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index. (3) IDACI bands for 2008 and 2009 are based on 2007 IDACI scores. Care should be taken when comparing to IDACI tables for 2007 and earlier which are based on 2004 IDACI scores. (4) Only includes pupils who are resident in England. Excludes pupils with missing or invalid postcode information. (5) Data are final. (6) In 2004, new assessment arrangements where only teacher assessments (informed by task/test results) were reported were trialled in some LAs. 2004 figures for reading, writing and maths are based on a combination of test/task and teacher assessment, 2005 and later are based on teacher assessment. 2004 Science figures are based on teacher assessment only.  Source: National Pupil Database

National Curriculum Tests

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of children in receipt of free school meals achieved at least level 3 in each subject at key stage 1 in each year since the introduction of such assessments.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils achieving each level in key stage 1 assessments by free school meals eligibility ,  2002-09 :  England 
			Percentage of pupils achieving 
			   Number of e ligible pupils  Absent/Unable  D i sapp lied  Working towards  le vel 1  1  2C  2B  2A  3  4  2+ 
			  Reading
			 2002 106,152 - - - - - - - - - 69 
			 2003 102,793 - - - - - - - - - 69 
			 2004 106,726 - - - - - - - - - 70 
			 2005 101.276 0 0 8 22 18 24 17 11 0 70 
			 2006 95,430 0 0 8 23 18 24 17 10 0 69 
			 2007 94,221 0 0 8 24 17 23 18 11 0 69 
			 2008 90,838 0 0 7 24 17 23 18 10 0 69 
			 2009 92,439 0 0 6 23 17 24 18 11 0 71 
			  Writing
			 2002 (Writing) 106,153 - - - - - - - - - 72 
			 2002 (Spelling) 106,151 - - - - - - - - - 61 
			 2003 102,794 - - - - - - - - - 64 
			 2004 108,728 - - - - - - - - - 66 
			 2005 101,285 0 0 11 22 26 23 12 5 0 66 
			 2006 95.430 0 0 11 24 26 22 12 5 (1)- 65 
			 2007 94,221 0 0 11 26 26 22 11 4 0 83 
			 2008 90,637 0 0 10 26 26 22 11 4 (1)- 64 
			 2009 92,437 0 0 8 26 26 24 12 4 0 86 
			  Mathematics
			 2002 106.152 - - - - - - - - - 81 
			 2003 102,794 - - - - - - - - - 80 
			 2004 108,728 - - - - - - - - - 80 
			 2005 101,301 0 0 5 13 25 26 21 10 0 81 
			 2006 95,430 0 0 5 14 25 26 20 8 (1)- 80 
			 2007 94,221 0 0 5 15 23 26 21 9 0 80 
			 2008 90,638 0 0 5 16 23 26 21 9 (1)- 79 
			 2009 92,455 0 0 4 16 23 28 20 9 0 80 
			  Science
			 2005 101,306 0 - 3 18 - 68 - 11 0 78 
			 2006 95.423 0 - 3 19 - 68 - 10 0 78 
			 2007 94,218 0 - 3 19 - 68 - 9 0 77 
			 2008 90,638 0 - 3 19 - 68 - 9 0 77 
			 2009 92,425 0 - 3 19 - 69 - 9 0 78 
			 (1 )Indicates figure suppressed due to small cohort size.  Notes: 1. Pupil level collection of FSM eligibility began with the 2002 School Census, therefore no data is available prior to 2002. 2. Figures prior to 2004 are based on tests, 2004 are based on a combination of test and teacher assessment, 2005 and later based on teacher assessment. 3. Science figures are unavailable prior to 2005 as science test results were not collected centrally. 4. In 2003 significant changes were introduced to the assessment of writing. A separate level for spelling was not reported separately, instead marks for spelling contributed to the pupils' writing level and there was a new mark scheme for the two writing tasks. 5. Level distributions prior to 2005 are not available. 6. Percentages rounded to nearest percentage point. 7. Data covers maintained schools only.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the correlation between teacher assessment and results in Key Stage  (a) 1 and  (b) 2; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Department only collects teacher assessment results at the end of key stage 1 and so no such analysis is available for that key stage
	An analysis of the level of agreement between the 2009 key stage 2 (KS2) teacher assessment and national curriculum test results is provided in the following tables.
	Analysis of these data indicates that there is a good match between test performance and teacher assessment data. When interpreting these data, it should be borne in mind that national curriculum test and teacher assessment data will not always correlate. This is because tests provide a snapshot of attainment at the end of the key stage whereas teacher assessment takes into account evidence of attainment in a variety of contexts (such as discussion and observation), throughout the year. Both are vital to ensure rounded, and validated, assessments can be made about each child's performance.
	
		
			   KS2 test level-English (percentage) 
			  Teacher assessment level-English  Below 3  3  4  5 
			 Below 3 82 17 1 0 
			 3 6 63 30 0 
			 4 0 7 79 14 
			 5 0 0 26 74 
		
	
	
		
			   KS2 test level-Maths  (percentage) 
			  Teacher assessment level-Maths  Below 3  3  4  5 
			 Below 3 84 16 1 0 
			 3 7 72 20 0 
			 4 0 8 80 12 
			 5 0 0 13 87 
		
	
	
		
			   KS2 test level-Science (percentage) 
			  Teacher assessment level-Science  Below 3  3  4  5 
			 Below 3 76 19 4 0 
			 3 4 52 42 2 
			 4 0 5 74 21 
			 5 0 0 14 86 
			  Note: The figures work across the table, so for a given teacher assessment level it shows the distribution of test levels achieved. Taking English as an example, of those pupils who were teacher assessed at level 4, 79 per cent. achieved a level 4 in the test; 7 per cent. achieved one level below and 14 per cent. achieved one level higher.

National Curriculum Tests

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department spent on the administration of the national tests in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency's (QCDA) estimate of the costs of delivering the national curriculum tests for key stage 1 and key stage 2 for the 2008-09 financial year was £21,755,000.00. These costs are net of the £19,500,000.00 cash settlement received by QCDA, following termination of the test operations contract with ETS Global BV (ETS) in 2008.

National Safeguarding Delivery Unit

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2010,  Official Report, column 312W, on National Safeguarding Delivery Unit: standards, in which month he expects the further progress report to be published.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Safeguarding Delivery Unit will publish its further progress report later this month.

Pupil Exclusions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils have been permanently excluded from schools in England and Wales for assaulting  (a) a member of staff and  (b) a fellow pupil in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The available information on reasons for a permanent exclusion is published as follows:
	 2003/04: Table 11
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000582/index.shtml
	 2004/05: Table 11
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000662/index.shtml
	 2005/06: Table 8
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000733/index.shtml
	 2006/07: Table 9
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000793/index.shtml
	 2007/08: Table 9
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000860/index.shtml
	The latest data available is for 2007/08; information on exclusions for 2008/09 is expected to be published in the summer 2010.
	Data on reasons for exclusion includes information on physical assault against an adult, but not specifically against teachers or school staff.
	In 2005/06, data on reasons for a permanent exclusion were collected from secondary schools only.
	The Department does not hold the requested information for Wales. Information relating to Wales is available from the Welsh Assembly Government.

Pupil Exclusions

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils have been permanently excluded from schools in England and Wales for  (a) alcohol-related incidents,  (b) drug-related incidents and  (c) carrying a knife or other weapon onto school premises in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: The available information on reasons for a permanent exclusion is published as follows:
	 2003 / 04 : Table 11
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000582/index.shtml
	 2004 / 05 : Table 11
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000662/index.shtml
	 2005 / 06 :  Table 8
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000733/index.shtml
	 2006 / 07 : Table 9
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000793/index.shtml
	 2007 / 08 : Table 9
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000860/index.shtml
	Data on pupils permanently excluded for carrying a knife or other weapon onto school premises is not separately identified. There are categories for verbal abuse/threatening behaviour and physical assault.
	The latest data available is for 2007/08; information on exclusions for 2008/09 is expected to be published in the summer 2010.
	In 2005/06, data on reasons for a permanent exclusion were collected from secondary schools only.
	The Department does not hold the requested information for Wales. Information relating to Wales is available from the Welsh Assembly Government.

Pupils: Learning Disability

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate has been made of the number of learners with a learning difficulty and/or a learning disability whose education provision will be funded by the Young People's Learning Agency in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11; and if he will make a statement.

Iain Wright: holding answer 15 March 2010
	The number of learners aged 16 to 18 learning in mainstream provision with a self-declared learning difficulty and/or disability has been around 120,000 each year from 2006/07 to 2008/09 academic year. These were funded through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The figure includes 4,000 in specialist provision, and it is estimated there are around 4,000 in the age group 19 to 25 with high level needs. Estimates for future numbers are based on this evidence.
	For the 2010/11 academic year responsibility for funding learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities aged 16 to 18 and between 19 and 25 with high level needs will pass to the Young People's Learning Agency and local authorities.

Schools: Swimming

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to ensure that all schoolchildren have access to swimming lessons within school hours.

Iain Wright: As part of the primary school national curriculum all school children receive lessons in swimming during school hours The Department's PE and Sport Strategy for Young People (PESSYP) also funds the top up school swimming programme through a grant that enables School Sports Partnership to deliver additional swimming, during the curriculum, to pupils in Key Stage 2 who are not yet able to swim unaided over a distance of 25 metres.

September Guarantee

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his estimate is of the number of children attending school or college courses as direct result of the September Guarantee in  (a) England and  (b) Coventry.

Iain Wright: holding answer 11 March 2010
	The Department for Children Schools and Families publishes annual estimates of the number of 16-17 year olds participating in education and work based learning in each local authority.
	Figures for  (a) England and  (b) Coventry are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   2007  2008( 1) 
			 England 1,113,400 1,333,400 
			 Coventry 7,100 n/a 
			 (1) Provisional. 
		
	
	England figures for 2009 and local authority figures for 2008 are due to be published in June 2010.
	The September Guarantee aims to ensure that all 16 and 17 year olds are offered a suitable place in learning. Statistics show that record numbers of young people are now participating in learning. This is enabling them to build the skills they need to make a successful transition to sustainable employment.

Teachers

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many qualified teachers below retirement age were not teaching in the state sector in  (a) 1997,  (b) 2005 and  (c) the latest year for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The following table provides the number of teachers with qualified teacher status aged below 60, the normal retirement age for those teachers who first entered service before 1 January 2007, who were not recorded in service in state maintained schools in England in March 1997, 2005 and 2008, the latest information available.
	
		
			  Qualified teachers aged under 60( 1)  not recorded in service( 2)  in state maintained schools( 3) , March 1997, 2005 and 2008-England 
			   Teachers 
			 1997 509,360 
			 2005 503,410 
			 2008(4) 483,760 
			 (1) Teachers age at March of each year. (2) Figures include teachers who never entered service, have left service both permanently and temporarily and those in service in other sectors or outside England. They exclude teachers who are receiving a pension or those recorded in occasional service in the state maintained sector. (3) State maintained schools include local authority maintained schools, City Technology Colleges and academies. (4) Provisional.  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source: Database of Teacher Records.

Teachers: City of York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many full-time equivalent  (a) teachers,  (b) teaching assistants and  (c) support staff there were in local authority schools in the City of York in each year since 1996'
	(2)  what the average pupil to teacher ratio was in  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in York in each year since 1996.

Vernon Coaker: York became a new local authority on 1 April 1997 and therefore the information requested is not available for 1996.
	The information requested for full-time equivalent teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in 1997, 2001 to 2009 is published in tables 19, 25 and 26 of the Statistical First Release (SFR) 'School Workforce in England (including local authority level figures) January 2009 (Revised)' published on 29 September 2009. The SFR is available at the following web link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000874/Tables19to27v2.xls
	The equivalent information requested for 1998 to 2000 is published in tables 18, 23 and 24 of the Statistical First Release (SFR) 'School Workforce in England (including pupil: teacher ratios and pupil: adult ratios) January 2007 (Revised)' published on 27 September 2007. The SFR is available at the following web link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000743/SFR29_2007_FinalTables18-25.xls
	The following table provides the pupil teacher ratios in local authority maintained primary and secondary schools in York local authority, in each January, 1997 to 2009.
	
		
			  Pupil:teacher ratios (PTRs)( 1)  in local authority maintained primary and secondary schools ,  Years: each January, 1997 to 2009 ,  Coverage :  York local authority 
			   Primary  Secondary 
			  January   
			 1997 24.3 16.3 
			 1998 24 6 16.2 
			 1999 23.5 16.7 
			 2000 24.6 18.4 
			 2001 22.9 16.6 
			 2002 22.0 16.0 
			 2003 22.0 16.0 
			 2004 22.7 16.0 
			 2005 23.0 15.6 
			 2006 21.7 15.9 
			 2007 21.7 16.3 
			 2008 21.4 15.7 
			 2009 21.6 15.7 
			 (1) The PTR is calculated by dividing the total FTE number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools.  Source:  School Census

Teachers: Early Retirement

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teachers took early retirement in  (a) 1997,  (b) 2005 and  (c) the latest year for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley) on 9 February 2010,  Official Report, column 903W.

Teachers: Wolverhampton

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many teachers were employed in state schools in Wolverhampton in  (a) 1997 and  (b) the latest date for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The information requested is published in table 19 of the Statistical First Release (SFR) 'School Workforce in England (including Local Authority level figures) January 2009 (Revised)', published on 29 September 2009. The SFR is available at the following web link:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000874/Tables19to27v2.xls

Truancy

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families in how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools more than (i) 10, (ii) 20, (iii) 30 and (iv) 40 per cent. of pupils were classified as persistent absentees in (A) 1997 and (B) the latest year for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 5 February 2010
	Information on persistent absentees is not available for 1997. The latest available information for 2007-08 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Primary( 1)  and secondary( 1,)( )( 2)  schools: Number of schools by the percentage of persistent absentees( 3,)( )( 4) , 2007-08, England 
			   Number of schools 
			  Percentage of school enrolments who are persistent absentees( 5,)( )( 6) :  Primary schools( 1)  Secondary schools( 1,)( )( 2) 
			 More than 10% 65 299 
			 More than 20% 8 11 
			 More than 30% 3 0 
			 More than 40% 1 0 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies). (3) Includes schools with at least one enrolment aged between five and 15. (4) Persistent absentees are defined as having 64 or more sessions of absence (authorised and unauthorised) during the year, typically over 20 per cent. overall absence rate. (5) The number of persistent absentees expressed 86 a percentage of the total number of enrolments. (6) Those schools counted in the 'more than 40 per cent.' category are also included in all the lower categories. Similarly, for the 'more than 30 per cent.' and 'more than 20 per cent.' categories.  Source: School Census

HEALTH

Cancer: Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) elective and  (b) emergency bed days were recorded in the Hospital Episodes Statistics database as having been accounted for by (i) haematological, (ii) gastrointestinal, (iii) bowel and (iv) lung cancer patients in (A) total, (B) each primary care trust and (C) each cancer network in each year since 1997-98; and what the cost was to the public purse of those bed days accounted for by patients with each type of cancer.

Ann Keen: Information on the finished consultant episode bed days in which an elective and emergency admission took place and where the primary diagnosis was lung cancer, bowel cancer, upper gastrointestinal cancer and haematological cancer has been placed in the Library.
	The information has been provided for primary care trusts in England for the years 1997-98 to 2008-09. This information is not available for cancer networks.
	Information on costs associated with the bed days is not available.

Cancer: Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) admissions and  (b) emergency admissions for (i) lung cancer, (ii) bowel cancer, (iii) upper gastrointestinal cancer and (iv) haematological cancer patients in (A) England, (B) each primary care trust and (C) each cancer network were recorded in the Hospital Episodes Statistics database in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: Information on the count of finished admission episodes (FAEs) and emergency admissions where the method of admission was emergency, and where the primary diagnosis was lung cancer, bowel cancer, upper gastrointestinal cancer and haematological cancer, has been placed in the Library.
	The information has been provided for England and for primary care trusts in England for the years 2004-05 to 2008-09. Information is not available by cancer networks.

Cancer: Health Services

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he made of expenditure on  (a) cancer care,  (b) lung cancer care,  (c) bowel cancer care,  (d) haematological cancer care and  (e) upper gastrointestinal cancer care in (i) England, (ii) each cancer network area and (iii) each primary care trust in each of the last five years; how much was spent on (A) inpatient costs excluding those relating to surgery, (B) surgery including daycare and in-patient stays, (C) drugs including the cost of medicine preparation and administration, (D) outpatients including diagnostics, first and follow-up appointments, (E) radiotherapy, (F) specialist palliative care excluding that provided by the voluntary sector and (G) other costs in each of those years; and whether the methodology used to make those estimates was the same as that used to produce the chart on page 119 of his Department's Cancer Reform Strategy, published on 3 December 2007.

Ann Keen: Tables showing estimated expenditure on cancer care, lung cancer care, lower gastro-intestinal cancer care, haematological cancer care and upper gastrointestinal cancer care in England, by each cancer network area and by each primary care trust (PCT), have been placed in the Library.
	Information on cancer care has been provided for England and PCTs for the last five years. Information on cancer care has been provided for cancer networks from 2004-05, as this is the first year that the information became available. Information for cancer care by tumour site has been provided from 2006-07 as this is the first year that data was collected at sub-category level for a number of tumour types. Bowel cancer care is included in the lower gastro-intestinal cancer care data.
	The information requested at A-G is not routinely available. The estimated total national health service spend on cancer care represented in the graph on page 119 of the Cancer Reform Strategy was an analysis commissioned specifically for inclusion in the Strategy. It was based on a wide range of data from 2005-06, and the sources of this data are quoted in the Strategy. An estimated NHS spend on cancer care under the same categories of that graph is not available for any other years, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Cancer: Medical Treatments

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS cancer patients have made top-up payments for treatments since the arrangements for such payments were implemented.

Mike O'Brien: The Department does not hold figures for the number of national health service patients who choose to purchase additional private care.
	However, this will be looked at as part of a national audit of the demand for unfunded drugs. The audit, which was recommended by Professor Sir Mike Richards' review, 'Improving access to medicines for NHS patients', is currently being developed and is expected to report in the spring of 2011.

Departmental Legal Costs

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department have spent in  (a) legal fees and  (b) compensation on legal cases concerning remuneration of its employees in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Hope: Since 2006, there have been no legal challenges reaching an employment tribunal on matters concerning remuneration. Records were not held centrally prior to 2006 and to collect this information would incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental Legislation

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statutory instruments he plans to lay before Parliament in the remainder of the current session; and on what dates he plans to lay those instruments.

Phil Hope: There are no current plans to lay any further statutory instruments under the affirmative procedure in the current session. A number of statutory instruments to be laid under the negative procedure are under consideration at any time.

Departmental Surveys

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the benchmark results of the Civil Service People Survey for his Department and its agencies.

Phil Hope: The 2009 Civil Service People Survey results for the Department have been placed in the Library. The results are also available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_112846
	The 2009 Civil Service People Survey results for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have been placed in the Library. These results are also available on the MHRA website at:
	www.mhra.gov.uk/NewsCentre/CON071332

Departmental Theft

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to deter theft from within the Department.

Phil Hope: The Department deters thefts by:
	reporting thefts to the police;
	guidance and training to staff on how to protect departmental property;
	marking departmental property with forensic dye and high visibility labels; and
	recording lost or stolen items on a police property register.

Doctors and Nurses: Manpower

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) doctors and  (b) nurses were employed in the NHS in Wolverhampton (i) in 1997 and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the number of consultants, doctors in training and national health service hospital and community health services (HCHS) qualified nursing staff, at the Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust as at 30 September, for 1997 and the latest date available, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of consultants  Number of doctors in training  HCHS qualified nursing staff 
			 1997 94 131 978 
			 2008 182 219 1,547 
			  Sources: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care-Non-Medical Workforce Census The NHS Information Centre for health and social care-Medical and Dental Workforce Census 
		
	
	The number of NHS general practitioners (GPs), practice nurses and HCHS qualified nursing staff employed by Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust (PCT) as at 30 September, for 2002 and the latest date available, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of GPs  Number of practice nurses  Number of HCHS qualified nursing staff 
			 2002 142 98 1,461 
			 2008 175 96 1,547 
			  Note: It is not possible to map accurate workforce figures for this organisation prior to the formation of the PCTs in 2002.  Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care-General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Doctors: Vacancies

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies for junior doctors there have been in each month since May 1997.

Ann Keen: Junior doctor posts are not included in the NHS Information Centre Medical and Dental vacancy publication.

Ealing

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Ealing Southall constituency, the effects on that constituency of his Department's policies since 1997.

Mike O'Brien: The Government have put in place a programme of national health service investment and reform since 1997 to improve service delivery in all parts of the United Kingdom. 93 per cent. of people nationally now rate the NHS as good or excellent. The NHS Constitution contains 25 rights and 14 pledges for patients and the public including new rights to be treated within 18 weeks, or be seen by a cancer specialist within two weeks and an NHS health check every five years for those aged 40-74 years.
	There is significant evidence that these policies have yielded considerable benefits for the Ealing Southall constituency.
	 For example:
	Figures for December 2009 show that in Ealing Primary Care Trust (PCT):
	96 per cent. of patients whose treatment involved admission to hospital started their treatment within 18 weeks.
	98 per cent. of patients whose treatment did not involve admission to hospital started their treatment within 18 weeks.
	Between September 2001 and September 2008 the number of general practitioners (GPs) per 100,000 people within Ealing PCT has increased from 61.2 to 66.8.
	In December 2009, at Ealing Hospital NHS Trust, 97.7 per cent. of patients spent less than four hours in accident and emergency from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge.
	Between September 1997 and September 2008 the number of consultants at Ealing Hospital NHS Trust increased from 49 to 67. Between September 1997 and September 2008 the estimated number of nurses increased from 550 to 726.
	96.9 per cent. of urgent GP referrals to Ealing Hospital NHS Trust with suspected cancer are seen by a specialist within two weeks of the referral.
	Although statistical information is not available at a local level, Ealing Southall will have also benefited from national policies in other areas. For example:
	Since 1997, gross current expenditure on personal social services has increased by around 70 per cent. in real terms with around 105,000 households now receiving intensive home care and 3,076 new extra care housing units-exceeding the original target of 1,500 new extra care units.
	Other strategies currently being implemented are:
	Subject to parliamentary approval, the Personal Care at Home Bill will guarantee free personal care for 280,000 people with the highest needs and help around 130,000 people who need home care for the first time to regain their independence;
	Shaping the Future of Care Together Green Paper, published in July 2009, sets out a vision for a National Care Service for all adults in England which is fair, simple and affordable. The Department has consulted widely on this reform and is currently analysing the responses, which will feed into a White Paper later this year;
	The National Carer's Strategy-(Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities)-launched in 2008;
	The first National Dementia Strategy was published in February 2009;
	Valuing People Now-a three year strategy for people with learning disabilities published in January 2009; and
	New Horizons: A Shared Vision for Mental Health-launched in December 2009-to maintain improvements in mental health services combined with a new cross-Government approach to promoting public mental health.
	Since 1998, there are now 2.4 million fewer smokers in England as a result of the Government's comprehensive tobacco control strategy which has had a measurable impact on reducing smoking prevalence.
	Child obesity levels are reducing due to the efforts of families across England, supported by the Government's obesity strategy. In 2008, 13.9 per cent. of children (aged 2 to 10) in England were classified as obese, compared with 17.3 per cent. in 2005.
	Overall, life expectancy at birth for men has increased from 74.5 years (1995-1997 data) to 77.7 years (2006-08 data) while for women, life expectancy at birth has increased from 79.6 years (1995-97 data) to 81.9 years (2006-08 data).

General Practitioners and Dental Services: Pendle

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) GPs and  (b) dentists were practising in Pendle in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2009.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested. However, the data which is available is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  All general practitioners (excluding retainers and registrars) by primary care trust (PCT) area in England, as at 30 September 2002-08 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT 129 133 134 132 - - - 
			 East Lancashire Teaching PCT - - - - 221 218 221 
			  Notes: 1. East Lancashire PCT was created on 1 October 2006 from a complete merger of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT, Hyndbum and Ribble Valley PCT and a part merger of Preston PCT (various wards and parishes). Due to this part merger it is not possible to provide figures which are consistent over a time series prior to 2006. The area of Pendle was serviced by Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale PCT in 2002-05 and by East Lancashire PCT in 2006-08. 2. The Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care-general and personal medical services statistics. 
		
	
	The numbers of national health service dentists, in Pendle, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 are available in Annex E and Annex G of the NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006. Annex E provides information by strategic health authority (SHA) and by PCT. Annex G provides information by constituency.
	This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is available on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity
	The numbers of dentists with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March, 2007, 2008 and 2009 are available in Table G1 of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2008-09 report. Information is provided for England and by SHA and PCT but is not available by constituency. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This report, published on 19 August 2009, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalstats0809
	Following a recent consultation exercise, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes any previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. This revised methodology counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March.
	These published figures relate to a headcount and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.

Health Services: Disadvantaged

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much NHS spending has been spent in  (a) Spearhead and  (b) non-Spearhead primary care trusts in each year since the start of the Spearhead Programme.

Gillian Merron: There are currently 62 PCTs that cover Spearhead areas and 90 that do not. It is worth noting that the 'Spearhead' does not refer to PCTs, but to local authority areas, which do not correspond exactly to each other
	The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Total expenditure in Spearhead and non-Spearhead primary care trusts (PCTs) 2005-06 to 2008-09 
			  £000 
			   Spearhead PCTs  Non-Spearhead PCTs  Total 
			 2008-09 30,114,227 46,646,607 76,760,834 
			 2007-08 28,486,147 43,892,433 72,378,580 
			 2006-07 26,018,647 40,369,031 66,387,678 
			 2005-06 21,770,843 41,492,084 63,262,927 
			  Notes: 1. Figures represent total net operating costs. 2. Figures for 2006-07 to 2008-09 are based on PCT boundaries following the October 2006 NHS reorganisation. 2005-06 figures are based on old PCT boundaries. 3. The Spearhead group is identified in terms of local authority areas-Spearhead PCTs are those that overlap geographically, either wholly or partly, with the Spearhead local authorities. Spearhead PCTs on old and new boundaries cover slightly different populations.  Source: PCT audited summarisation schedules

Home Care Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health who  (a) was invited to and  (b) attended his Department's care and support conference in February 2010.

Phil Hope: Members of the Care and Support Alliance and a limited number of additional organisations which have a cross-cutting leadership role in the care and support sector, were invited to the Care and Support Conference on 19 February to give their views to politicians and help build a consensus on the reform of the system.
	A full list of attendees is included in the Conference Report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library and which can also be viewed online at:
	http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk/news/2010/03/care-and-support-conference-report-published/

Motor Neurone Disease: Health Services

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to publish a national strategy on motor neurone disease; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: There are no current plans to publish a national strategy on motor neurone disease.

NHS: Medical Treatments

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Evidence Review Groups are required to complete their assessments within the timetables set by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for  (a) multiple and  (b) single technology appraisals.

Mike O'Brien: Under the contract between the Department and the Technology Assessment Review (TAR) teams which support the work of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), Evidence Review Group reports for single technology appraisals are produced within eight weeks from the date of the industry submission and assessment reports for multiple technology appraisals are produced within 28 weeks from the TAR team's receipt: of the final scope from NICE. This assumes that preceding stages have been completed according to the stipulated guidance.

NHS: Medical Treatments

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to publish its response to the consultation on its response to Sir Ian Kennedy's report on Appraising the Value of Innovation.

Mike O'Brien: Publication of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) final response to Sir Ian Kennedy's report on Appraising the Value of Innovation is a matter for NICE as an independent body. We understand that a draft response to Sir Ian's report was discussed at NICE'S board meeting on 17 March 2010 and NICE will confirm its plans for publication in due course.

Trade Unions

Robert Syms: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many days staff of his Department and its agencies spent on trade union activity in the latest year for which figures are available; and what recent estimate he has made of the annual cost to the public purse of such activity.

Phil Hope: Information about the number of days that staff in the Department and its agencies spent on trade union activity is not held centrally. To collect this information would incur disproportionate cost. It is not possible therefore to make an estimate of the cost of these activities.
	Through our facilities agreement, the Department makes available certain facilities to the three recognised trades unions in order to conduct their business effectively.
	The Department and trades unions place high value on fostering and maintaining good industrial relations. We work in partnership to achieve shared aims, objectives and outcomes. The granting of reasonable facilities and facility time by the Department make an important contribution to the success of the organisation.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Departmental Consultants

Angus Robertson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible in each year since 2005.

Patrick McFadden: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Na h-Eileanan An Iar (Mr. MacNeil) on 16 March 2010,  Official Report, column reference 838W.

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Patrick McFadden: During the period 1 February 2009 to 31 January 2010, 116 items were reported as missing on this Department's and its predecessors' central London estate with an estimated replacement value of £32,044. Of these, 22 items were subsequently found with an estimated replacement value of £3,257.
	The Department records items as missing as it is not always possible to prove theft as the reason for the loss of items and some items reported are subsequently found.
	The figure includes small, low value personal items as well as items of electrical equipment, such as ICT equipment, mobile phones and accessories (some of which may have been personal items) and multi media equipment.

Departmental Theft

Tom Watson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps the Department is taking to deter theft from within the Department.

Patrick McFadden: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills takes thefts seriously, and has long standing policies in place designed to reduce the number of thefts.
	To raise awareness of the need for ongoing vigilance we undertake the following:
	Poster campaigns in areas such as in the tea points and lift lobbies reminding staff of the threat of opportunist thefts.
	Advice on the Department's intranet site alerting staff that they could be a victim, and advising them what to do in the unlikely event they become a victim.
	Frequent foot patrols by our security guards, both in and out of office hours.
	There have also been notices to staff published on the Department's electronic bulletin board reminding staff of the need to protect departmental assets when travelling on public transport and when in public places.
	We record thefts in the Department and monitor the trends. If trends deteriorate in a given area, we would put in place further measures to tackle the problem. These could include seminars to staff in affected areas, one to one advice and specific intervention by line managers.
	We review our policies frequently making improvements to security when necessary.

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials from his Department are working on plans for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Patrick McFadden: A Diamond Jubilee Unit has been established in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. This is staffed by 1.5 (full-time equivalent) staff. The Unit is working closely with officials from 15 Government Departments (including the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills) and the Devolved Administrations.

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether there are plans to strike medals to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Patrick McFadden: I refer the hon. Member to the statement given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Regulatory Reform (Ian Lucas) to the House on this matter on 5 January 2010,  Official Report, columns 56-57. A medal will be issued to mark the Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Further details will be released in due course.

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many letters he has received on the subject of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in the last 12 months.

Patrick McFadden: My Noble Friend the Secretary of State has received approximately 52 letters on the subject of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to link events to commemorate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee with London 2012 Olympics.

Patrick McFadden: Planning for the Diamond Jubilee is still at an early stage. Consideration will be given nearer the time as to whether there are opportunities to link the Jubilee celebrations with other events going on around the country in the run up to the games.

Diamond Jubilee 2012

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent discussions he has had with Buckingham Palace on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Patrick McFadden: Although planning for the Diamond Jubilee is still at an early stage, discussions are ongoing between Government and the Royal Household about the arrangements for the Diamond Jubilee.

Insolvency: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses employing  (a) fewer than 10,  (b) between 10 and 50,  (c) between 51 and 100,  (d) between 101 and 200,  (e) between 201 and 300 and  (f) over 300 employees have been declared insolvent in (i) Stroud constituency and (ii) Gloucestershire in each year since 1990.

Ian Lucas: Official statistics covering corporate insolvencies are not currently available at a sub-national level within England and Wales.
	Additionally, the number of employees is not recorded on the source datasets.
	Self-employed traders may be declared bankrupt (or enter into an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA)). While official regional figures down to constituency level for self-employed bankrupts are maintained from calendar year 2000, the number of employees (if any) is not available.

Learning Disability

Mark Harper: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that adult learners with learning  (a) difficulties and  (b) disabilities are given support to participate in education; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: This Department routes funding through the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the provision of further education (FE) and skills training for adult learners aged 19 and over. This includes funding for learners with difficulties and/or disabilities (LLDD).
	Funding for these learners remains a priority and we remain committed to maintaining future opportunities for them.
	Additional learning support (ALS) funding is provided to FE colleges and training organisations to support the additional costs associated with learners with LDD to help them to undertake mainstream provision.
	There is a broad range of provision available to support learners with LDD, for example the Foundation Learning Curriculum supports improved achievement and progression towards employment and independent living below level 2. However it is for FE colleges and training organisations to determine their offer to these learners in line with their level of need.
	Currently, learners aged 19 to 25 entitled to a learning difficulty assessment (LDD) (S139A) are covered by a statutory duty placed on the Learning Skills Council. From 1 April 2010 responsibility will transfer to local authorities (LAs) following changes announced in the Learning Skills Act 2008 and the Apprenticeship, Schools, Children and Learning Act 2009. Such learners will continue to be funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) through the arrangements with the Young Persons Learning Agency and LAs. This will support the policy that there should be a single body with responsibility for all young adults with learning difficulties and/or disabilities (LLDD) up to the age of 25 who require significant levels of support.
	It is not possible to separately identify learners in receipt of S139A assessments. However we are able to estimate that there have been around 200,000 learners aged 19 and over in mainstream provision with a self declared disability each year from 2006/07 to 2008/09 academic year (the latest whole year for which data are available).

Redundancy: Public Sector

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the  (a) voluntary and  (b) involuntary redundancy rates were in the public sector in (i) Leeds North West constituency and (ii) each industrial category in each year since 1997.

Patrick McFadden: Estimates of the total number of redundancies are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). However there is no available disaggregation between voluntary and involuntary redundancies or a constituency-level or regional breakdown.
	Individuals recently made redundant are not asked in the LFS whether they were in the public or private sectors and are instead classified according to the industrial group of their previous job. The industrial group 'public administration, education and health' may act as a very broad approximation of a large part of the public sector. Although a large fraction of employees in and redundancies from this industrial group are likely to be in the public sector, private sector firms also operate within this industry whilst there are also public sector employees in other sectors.
	BIS estimates of redundancies from public administration, education and health and all other industries are provided in the third and fourth columns of Table 1 for the first quarter of each year since 1999, the earliest date available. These figures should only be treated as indicative as the LFS is a self classification survey completed by individuals. Some individuals are unlikely to identify exactly the industry in which they work.
	The second column of Table 1 reports Office for National Statistics published figures for total economy-wide redundancy rates. These do not exactly match the other columns due to missing values in the industrial classification of redundancies.
	
		
			  Table 1: First quarter redundancy rates 1997 to 2009. Not seasonally adjusted. 
			Industrial breakdown 
			   ONS total first quarter redundancy rates  Public administration, education and health  All other industries 
			 1997 7.0 - - 
			 1998 7.4 - - 
			 1999 8.8 1.50 11.40 
			 2000 7.8 0.97 10.32 
			 2001 6.5 1.39 8.48 
			 2002 8.4 1.24 11.11 
			 2003 7.3 1.35 9.65 
			 2004 5.9 0.89 7.97 
			 2005 5.6 0.99 7.61 
			 2006 5.9 1.20 8.06 
			 2007 6.1 1.44 8.15 
			 2008 4.7 1.37 6.21 
			 2009 11.8 1.36 16.50 
			  Source: ONS Economic and Labour Market Statistics (column 2) and BIS analysis of Labour Force Survey (columns 3 and 4). The data are not seasonally adjusted although there are seasonal variations in the number of redundancies.

Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to Stroud constituency, the effects on that constituency of the policies and actions of his Department and its predecessors since 2000.

Patrick McFadden: I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Regional Development and Co-ordination on 27 January,  Official Report, column 974W, and 10 February,  Official Report, column 111W, regarding specific examples of support to Stroud district.
	The Government have put in place a broad programme of reform since 1997. Over the decade to 2007, the economic performance of all parts of the UK improved considerably. More recently we have provided significant support to businesses through 'Real Help for Business', and the strategy 'New Industry, New Jobs'.
	There are a number of websites that provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level. Examples are the National Statistics website at:
	http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/
	and NOMIS at:
	https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/

Students: Radicalism

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what written guidance his Department has issued to educational establishments on reducing levels of  (a) religious and  (b) political extremism in those establishments.

David Lammy: Guidance was issued to vice-chancellors and college principals from the former Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills on managing the risk of violent extremism.
	These two guidance documents can be found at:
	http://www.dius.gov.uk/higher_education/shape_and_structure/~/media/publications/L/extremismhe
	and
	http://www.dius.gov.uk/further_education/guidance_and_good_practice/~/media/publications/L/learning-together-to-be-safe-online-
	My noble Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all vice-chancellors in England in February 2010 following the failed Detroit bombing on Christmas day. A copy of this letter will be sent to the hon. Member.

Students: Radicalism

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the compatibility of measures planned by his Department to reduce extremism in educational establishments with the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998.

David Lammy: Work to reduce extremism in educational establishments forms part of the Government's overall counter-terrorism strategy. The revised strategy which was published by the Home Office in 2009 contains a statement on Human Rights. Separate assessments are not undertaken by other Departments.
	The statement can be found in sections 7.04 to 7.06 of the counter terrorism strategy document which can be found at:
	http://security.homeoffice.gov.uk/news-publications/publication-search/contest/contest-strategy

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Biomass

Ian Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent progress he has made on the development of sustainability indicators for biomass.

David Kidney: The renewable energy directive, published in June 2009, includes sustainability criteria that transport biofuels, and bioliquids used for heat and electricity generation must meet in order to receive financial support and to count towards the directive's renewable energy targets. On 25 February 2010, the European Commission published its recommendations on the sustainability requirements member states should include if they decide to introduce sustainability criteria for the use of solid and gaseous biomass sources for heat and electricity generation. In the light of this, DECC will make an announcement later this month, setting out what actions the Government can now take to introduce sustainability standards for biomass in the UK.

Carbon Emissions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what volume of carbon dioxide emissions have been recorded in the UK on the Kyoto protocol basis  (a) including and  (b) excluding emissions trading in each of the last five years.

Joan Ruddock: DECC published estimates of UK greenhouse gas emissions for the period 1990 to 2008 as National Statistics on 2 February 2010. These can be found on the DECC website at the link as follows. This publication includes data tables which show emissions both including and excluding emissions trading.
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change/gg_emissions/uk_emissions/2008_final/2008_fmal.aspx
	The following table shows both UK carbon dioxide emissions and UK greenhouse gas emissions on a Kyoto Protocol basis for each of the last five years for which data are currently available.
	
		
			2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Greenhouse gas emissions Excluding emissions trading 659.3 655.2 650.0 640.5 628.3 
			  Including emissions trading 659.3 630.1 618.7 614.9 608.4 
			
			 Carbon dioxide emissions Excluding emissions trading 556.3 553.9 551.4 543.6 532.8 
			  Including emissions trading 556.3 528.8 520.2 518.1 512.9

Carbon Emissions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions arising from UK households in the most recent period for which figures are available; and what estimate he has made of the proportion of such emissions arising from electricity use.

Joan Ruddock: The most recent estimates of UK carbon dioxide emissions were for the 2008 calendar year. These were published by DECC as National Statistics on 2nd February 2010. This publication includes a breakdown by sector, based on the source of emissions. Based on this breakdown, we estimate that 80.7 Mt carbon dioxide came from the residential sector. This primarily represents emissions relating to fossil fuel combustion within residential homes, which will primarily be in relation to domestic heating and cooking.
	DECC also publishes estimates of carbon dioxide emissions on an end-user basis which can be found at:
	http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/climate_change_gg_emissions/uk_emissions/2008_final/2008_final.aspx
	on this page a summary report of UK emissions by National Communication sector (which includes the residential sector) on an end-user basis and the accompanying excel tables can be found.
	The end-user breakdown reallocates the emissions by source in accordance with where the end-use occurred. The main effect of this is to re-allocate emissions from the power supply sector to businesses and homes, where electricity is used.
	The most recent estimates available of UK carbon dioxide emissions on an end-user basis are for the 2007 calendar year; this is the most recent year for which we have estimates of emissions by both source and end-user. These were published by DECC as national statistics on 26 March 2009. This publication included a breakdown by end-user sector, which estimated that 142.2 Mt carbon-dioxide came from the residential sector.
	On an end-user basis, we would therefore estimate that approximately 45 per cent. of residential carbon dioxide emissions arise from electricity use.

Carbon Emissions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what expenditure his Department has incurred on its Act on CO2 campaign in each month since the campaign began.

Joan Ruddock: We do not hold financial records for spend for all media on a month-by-month basis.
	The cost information we have is outlined as follows.
	DECC was; created in October 2008, however the Save Money, Save Energy campaign was launched in September 2008, therefore figures reported are from the start of that campaign.
	From September 2008 to March 2009, invoiced expenditure on DECC's ACT ON CO2 advertising campaign was £10.19 million inclusive of fees, exclusive of VAT and covers all costs associated with the campaign.
	From April 2009 to 16 March 2010, the estimated expenditure was £9.98 million inclusive of fees, exclusive of VAT and covers all costs associated with the campaign.

Carbon Emissions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what figures are represented in  (a) Chart 19,  (b) Chart 20 and  (c) Chart 22 of the Analytical Annex to the Low Carbon Transition Plan.

Joan Ruddock: The underlying data for charts 19, 20 and 22 from the Analytical Annex to the Low Carbon Transition Plan are in the tables. The Annex can be viewed online at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/publications/lc_trans_plan/lc_trans_plan.aspx
	Chart 19 shows that the projected increases in household energy bills in 2020 (compared to bills in 2020 where there are no climate change policies) are likely to represent a smaller proportion of income for those in higher income households than for lower income households.
	Chart 20 shows that households who take up insulation and renewable energy measures are likely to face much lower increases in their bills in 2020 compared to those who do not. It also shows that for those who do take up measures, the expected increase in energy bills as a share of income is more similar across the income distribution.
	Chart 22 shows actual and projected UK fossil fuel demand and production, indicating the level of the UK's energy import dependency. The Department updates its projections of both UK demand and production from time to time so these estimates of future import dependency are subject to revision.
	
		
			  Chart 19: Increase in energy bills in 2020 for different income deciles 
			  Decile  Percentage share of income spent on energy bills without policies  Increase in share of income spent on energy bills with polic i es (ppts) (percentage) 
			 Bottom 12.73 1.50 
			 2(nd) 8.53 0.96 
			 3(rd) 6.63 0.80 
			 4(th) 5.42 0.69 
			 5(th) 4.55 0.55 
			 6(th) 3.96 0.50 
			 7(th) 3.42 0.41 
			 8(th) 2.95 0.38 
			 9(th) 2.53 0.34 
			 Top 1.87 0.25 
			  Source: DECC 
		
	
	
		
			  Chart 20: Increase in energy bill as a percentage of income for households that take up insulation and renewable energy measures 
			  Percentage 
			  Income Decile  Household receives measures  Household receives no measures  Average of all households (ppts) 
			 Bottom 0.67 2.78 1.50 
			 2(nd) 0.46 1.89 0.96 
			 3(rd) 0.44 1.52 0.80 
			 4(th) 0.39 1.28 0.69 
			 5(th) 0.30 1.09 0.55 
			 6(th) 0.29 0.96 0.50 
			 7(th) 0.24 0.82 0.41 
			 8(th) 0.24 0.73 0.38 
			 9(th) 0.22 0.62 0.34 
			 Top 0.18 0.44 0.25 
			  Source: DECC 
		
	
	
		
			  Chart 22: Actual and projected UK fossil fuel demand and production 
			   UK Production  UK Demand (pre-TP baseline)  UK Demand (post-TP) 
			  mtoe  Coal  Oil (incl. bunkers)  Gas (net)  Coal  Oil (incl. bunkers)  Gas (net)  Coal  Oil (incl. bunkers)  Gas (net) 
			 1998 25.8 145.3 84.5 40.6 91.0 82.3 40.6 91.0 82.3 
			 1999 23.2 150.2 93.5 36.1 89.6 88.0 36.1 89.6 88.0 
			 2000 19.6 138.3 102.7 38.7 89.2 91.2 38.7 89.2 91.2 
			 2001 20.0 127.8 99.1 41.0 87.6 89.6 41.0 87.6 89.6 
			 2002 18.8 127.0 96.8 37.6 86.6 88.3 37.6 86.6 88.3 
			 2003 17.6 116.2 96.3 40.1 86.8 88.8 40.1 86.8 88.8 
			 2004 15.6 104.5 89.7 38.5 89.1 90.8 38.5 89.1 90.8 
			 2005 12.7 92.9 81.8 39.4 91.3 88.4 39.4 91.3 88.4 
			 2006 11.4 84.0 74.0 43.0 90.6 84.2 43.0 90.6 84.2 
			 2007 10.7 84.2 66.5 40.3 86.9 85.4 40.3 86.9 85.4 
			 2008 11.6 78.2 64.3 38.2 85.8 86.3 38.1 85.8 86.3 
			 2009 11,0 74.1 59.1 36.3 84.3 84.4 35.7 82.6 83.9 
			 2010 11.0 70.8 55.5 34.4 84.2 82.1 33.1 83.1 80.7 
			 2011 11.0 67.8 52.3 38.0 85.0 80.9 33.0 83.6 80.5 
			 2012 11.0 65.3 49.4 36.9 85.8 82.2 31.7 84.0 80.3 
			 2013 11.0 62.7 47.2 35.3 86.1 84.0 31.8 84.0 78.8 
			 2014 11.0 59.9 45.0 34.0 86.5 85.0 28.8 83.6 78.8 
			 2015 11.0 57.2 43.0 35.3 86.9 84.2 30.6 83.2 74.9 
			 2016 11.0 54.6 41.1 31.5 87.4 86.8 29.0 82.8 72.8 
			 2017 11.0 52.2 39.2 31.0 88.0 88.5 26.9 82.4 73.0 
			 2018 11.0 49.8 37.5 30.5 88.5 88.5 28.5 82.0 68.1 
			 2019 11.0 47.6 35.8 30.7 89.1 88.8 26.1 81.5 67.0 
			 2020 11.0 45.4 34.2 31.5 89.7 87.8 24.7 81.1 62.6 
			 2021 11.0 43.4 32.6 30.5 90.4 88.5 23.9 81.6 61.6 
			 2022 11.0 41.4 31.2 30.5 91.2 89.5 23.3 82.1 61.8 
			 2023 11.0 39.6 29.7 29.4 91.9 91.4 18.5 82.6 66.2 
			 2024 11.0 37.8 28.4 27.2 92.7 96.1 18.0 83.1 68.9 
			 2025 11.0 36.1 27.1 27.2 93.5 97.2 18.0 83.7 68.9 
			  Source: DECC

Carbon Emissions: Housing

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether he plans to take steps to ensure that consumers are aware of those services and products which are subsidised under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The Government are taking a number of steps to ensure consumers are assisted in understanding the support available to them. The Government supports a one stop shop through the Energy Saving Trust which provides free advice to consumers on energy saving as well as providing easy access to the full range of Carbon Emission Reduction Target offers. This is supported by the Government's overarching Act On CO2 marketing campaign which demonstrates the benefits of the energy saving measures offered under the Carbon Emission Reduction Target as part of coverage in national television, press, radio and online. Longer term, we have set out our intention as part of the 'Warm Homes, Greener Homes' strategy to continue to improve and simplify consumer access to, and use of, energy saving information. This will combine with effective branding and marketing to build awareness and trust in the available products and services.

Climate Change: Publicity

Sammy Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department had spent on its advertising campaign Act on CO2 at the latest date for which information is available.

Joan Ruddock: DECC was created in October 2008, however the Save Money, Save Energy campaign was launched in September 2008, therefore figures reported are from the start of that campaign.
	From September 2008 to March 2009, invoiced cost on DECC's Act on CO2 advertising campaign was £10.19 million inclusive of fees, exclusive of VAT and covers all costs associated with the campaign.
	From April 2009 to 16 March 2010, the estimated cost was £9.98 million inclusive of fees, exclusive of VAT and covers all costs associated with the campaign.

Climate Change: Research

Peter Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much funding has been allocated to research into mitigation of the effects of climate change on  (a) agriculture and  (b) other industries in the last five years.

Dan Norris: I have been asked to reply.
	 (a) The funding allocated into research into the effects of climate change on agriculture in the past five years is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Mitigation  Adaptation 
			 2003-04 324,193 280,559 
			 2004-05 324,193 280,559 
			 2005-06 239,748 143,199 
			 2006-07 987,775 292,554 
			 2007-08 1,583,875 575,388 
			 2008-09 1,717,622 269,354 
		
	
	 (b) The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP), funded by DEFRA, has incorporated a business element that works with individual business or representative organisations to help develop risk management and adaptation strategies. UKCIP have developed free for user on-line tools specially designed for business, in addition to the climate change projections.
	We are unable to provide a breakdown of the funding provided to UKCIP for research into mitigating the effects of climate change in agriculture and business, as the work done by UKCIP is of benefit to all. However the total funding provided to UKCIP for the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 712,743 
			 2006-07 799,000 
			 2007-08 898,337 
			 2008-09 1,322,900 
			 2009-10 1,078,000 
			 Total funding 4,810,980 
		
	
	In addition, as part of Government's cross-Department Adaptation to Climate Change programme established in 2008, a small business engagement team has been set up. In FY 2009-10 this team managed research projects on business opportunities from adaptation to climate change, business messaging and business advice totalling up to £160,000.

Departmental Lost Property

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what property has been recorded as  (a) lost and  (b) stolen from his Department in the last 12 months; and what estimate has been made of the cost of the replacement of that property.

Joan Ruddock: The following items have been recorded as lost or stolen from the Department in the last 12 months:
	
		
			   Item  Lost  Stolen 
			 Laptops 1 1  
			 RSA token 9 0  
			 Entrust token 3 0  
			 Blackberry 1 0  
			 3G dongle 1 0  
			 Coat 0 1  
			 Bag 0 1  
		
	
	Estimated cost for replacement is £4,000.

Departmental Ministerial Policy Advisers

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much has been paid in reimbursable expenses to special advisers in his Department in each year since its creation.

Joan Ruddock: The Department has not paid any reimbursable expenses to special advisers.

Domestic Appliances: Carbon Emissions

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of domestic consumer electronics products which qualify for the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target; what estimate he has made of the reduction in the volume of carbon dioxide emissions as a result of the number of domestic consumer electronics products in the scheme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will bring forward proposals to require all Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) measures to be branded to inform consumers of their indirect contribution through bill payments to the cost of CERT measures; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: Government do not require suppliers to report or present this information on bills at present, but the Government's 'Warm Homes, Greener Homes' strategy, published in early March, set out the importance of greater transparency in any post 2013 energy company obligation, including around cost information. We continue to develop the detail of this arrangement, and will pursue new powers as necessary.

Energy: Billing

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to prevent energy companies changing billing review and assessment periods for small business customers other than on an annual basis; and if he will enforce automatic return to such customers of credit balances above a specified level.

David Kidney: holding answer 15 March 2010
	Details of billing review and assessment periods, and the customer's right to a credit refund for balances above a certain level are subject to the terms and conditions of individual business supply contracts. Where smaller business customers are concerned about such an issue they should in the first instance take it up with their supplier. If the supplier fails to resolve the matter satisfactorily, they should pursue their complaint through the Energy Ombudsman under the statutory redress scheme.
	Ofgem looked at concerns about unfairness in contract terms in small business supply as part of its probe into the energy supply market in 2008. As a result, Ofgem recently placed an obligation on suppliers to provide clear and transparent contract terms and conditions. The changes came into effect from 18 January 2010. I would expect to see Ofgem evaluate the impact of the changes in due course and consider whether any further changes are needed to protect small business consumers.

National Grid

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effect on the National Grid of an electromagnetic pulse strike caused  (a) deliberately and  (b) through solar activity.

David Kidney: We are not aware recent work has been done on the risk of a deliberately generated electromagnetic pulse adversely impacting the National Grid.
	In 2009 National Grid used modelling techniques to study the impact of solar storms on the UK transmission system. The modelling has identified the reasonable worst scenario for the transmission network could lead to short term, localised disturbances at the extremities of the network. National Grid do not anticipate any significant disruption to supplies to electricity customers.

Oils: Waste Disposal

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on encouraging the generation of energy from waste oils; and if he will make a statement.

Dan Norris: I have been asked to reply.
	DEFRA's policy on waste oils is set out in the revised Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC). In accordance with the directive, the recovery of energy from waste oil is fourth in the priority order known as the waste hierarchy. The regeneration of waste oil into base oil by re-refining is classed as recycling and is third in the hierarchy. Waste disposal, which includes incineration without energy recovery, is at the bottom as the least preferred option.
	We are currently considering the responses to the stage one consultation on the transposition of the revised Waste Framework Directive, including the provisions in article 4 on the waste hierarchy and article 21 on waste oils. The stage two consultation will comprise a draft of the transposing regulations and an impact assessment.

Radioactive Waste: Transport

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether trains carrying nuclear waste use the  (a) Lea Valley and  (b) Barking to Gospel Oak line.

Chris Mole: I have been asked to reply.
	Irradiated nuclear fuel (often referred to as nuclear waste) is transported by rail from nuclear power stations to Sellafield in Cumbria. Because of the nature of the UK rail network these shipments regularly use railway routes in and around London. However, the Department for Transport does not hold data on the precise routes taken.
	The transport of radioactive material, including irradiated nuclear fuel, is governed by stringent internationally-agreed standards recommended by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an agency appointed by the United Nations to oversee all aspects of the peaceful uses of atomic energy worldwide. The safety of the transport of radioactive material is secured by the design and build quality of the packages used. In particular, packages used to transport irradiated nuclear fuel are designed to withstand a severe impact and fire without releasing their radioactive contents.
	Organisations consigning radioactive materials are free to choose the most appropriate route and mode of transport for their purposes and rail transport represents the best option for very heavy items such as irradiated nuclear fuel flasks.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 1 March 2010,  Official Report, columns 880-1W, which countries were categorised as  (a) other Europe,  (b) other former USSR,  (c) other Americas,  (d) other Africa,  (e) other Middle East and  (f) other Asia and Oceania in the data provided.

Phil Woolas: The countries of nationality that are categorised within other Europe, other former USSR, other Americas, other Africa, other Middle East and other Asia and Oceania are listed as follows. The list includes nationalities for which there were no grants or refusals of asylum in the years 2007, 2008 and 2009.
	 (a) Other Europe
	Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus (Northern part of), Denmark, Faroe Islands, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Greenland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Serbia, Spain, Svalbard and Jan Mayen Islands, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City State (Holy See), Yugoslavia.
	 (b) Other former USSR
	Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
	 (c) Other Americas
	Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda (GBR), Bolivia, Bouvet Island, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, French Guyana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Montserrat, Netherlands Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Pierre and Miquelon, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands (GBR), United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela, Virgin Islands (US).
	 (d) Other Africa
	Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Burkina Faso, Reunion, Sao Tome Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, St. Helena (GBR), Swaziland, Togo, Tunisia, Western Sahara, Zambia.
	 (e) Other Middle East
	Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
	 (f) Other Asia and Oceania
	American Samoa, Antarctica, Australia, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia (Kampuchea),Christmas Islands, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Cook Island, Korea (North), East Timor, Fiji, Heard  McDonald Islands, Hong Kong SAR of China (Holder of Certificate of Identity or Document of Identity), Hong Kong SAR of China (Holder of Special Administrative Region Passport), Indonesia, Japan, Kiribati, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Mayotte, Micronesia, Mongolia, Burma (Myanmar), Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Pitcairn Islands, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Korea (South), Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Wallis Futuna Islands.

Asylum

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2010,  Official Report, columns 329-30W, on asylum, what arrangements are available to asylum claimants, notwithstanding the rules of October 2009, to allow hon. Members to present further evidence supporting the claimant's case where the claimant cannot attend in person for medical reasons.

Alan Johnson: Anyone who had made their asylum claim before 5 March 2007 and is being dealt with by the Case Resolution Directorate, who feels that they are physically unable to travel to Liverpool to make their further submissions in person, due to a disability or severe illness, may submit their further submissions either directly, or from their MP or representative via fax to the Further Submissions Team in Liverpool. This must be accompanied by documentary evidence to show how they meet the exceptional criteria. Those who fail to meet the exceptional criteria will be advised to book an appointment to submit their further submissions in person. Those who made their claims after 5 March 2007, whose case is being dealt with by one of the regional asylum teams, should contact either their case-owner or the relevant regional contact number.

Asylum: Repatriation

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) adult and  (b) child asylum seekers have been removed from the UK by the Third Country Unit under the provisions of the Dublin Regulation EC No. 343/2003 to date.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 5 March 2010
	 The Dublin Regulation came into force in September 2003.
	The following figures show numbers removed since the beginning of 2004. They are based on local management information and are not subject to the detailed checks that apply to National Statistics publications.
	
		
			   Adults  Dependent children  Unaccompanied children( 1)  Total removals 
			 2004 823 5 79 907 
			 2005 1,444 52 103 1,599 
			 2006 1,415 41 51 1,507 
			 2007 1,066 8 40 1,114 
			 2008 1,191 3 25 1,219 
			 2009 956 2 36 994 
			 (1) This figure relates to the child's age at the point of removal. Some cases begin the Dublin Regulation process as a child but due to the length of time it takes to progress their cases at the point of removal they have become an adult.

Crime: North Yorkshire

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of  (a) crime related to vehicles,  (b) burglary of a dwelling,  (c) other burglary,  (d) criminal damage,  (e) theft,  (f) violence and  (g) other crimes were reported to North Yorkshire Police in each year since 1997; and how many such offences were committed in the City of York in each such year.

Alan Campbell: The available information is given in the tables.
	Police recorded crime statistics are affected by changes in reporting and recording practice and can be influenced by police priorities and activity. All of these factors need to be considered when looking at the trends in recorded crime.
	The tables note the changes in recording practice introduced in 1998 and 2002. The Audit Commission undertook substantial audit work on crime recording in the years following the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002 (up until 2006-07) This indicated a generally increasing level of NCRS compliance across forces in this period.
	
		
			  Table 1: Offences recorded by the police in North Yorkshire and in the York Community Safety Partnership area-1997 
			   Number of offences 
			  Offence  North Yorkshire  York CSP 
			 Offences against vehicles 11,721 n/a 
			 Burglary in a dwelling 4,876 n/a 
			 Other burglary 6,484 n/a 
			 Criminal damage 8,537 n/a 
			 Other theft 14,301 n/a 
			 Violence against the person 2,425 n/a 
			 Other offences 469 n/a 
			 n/a = not available 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Offences recorded by the police in North Yorkshire and in the York Community Safety Partnership area-1 9 98-99 to 2001-02( 1,2) 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  1998-99  1999- 20 00  2000-01  2001-02 
			   North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP 
			 Offences against vehicles 10,986 n/a 9,807 n/a 8,725 3,685 9,216 4,139 
			 Burglary in a dwelling 4,822 n/a 4,343 2,201 3,888 1,791 4,754 2,299 
			 Other burglary 6,415 n/a 6,059 n/a 5,940 2,175 6,902 2,512 
			 Criminal damage 8,372 n/a 8,617 n/a 9,166 2,717 11,436 3,694 
			 Other theft 14,622 n/a 14,519 n/a 4,066 5,813 15,960 6,761 
			 Violence against the person 4,827 n/a 5,101 1,650 4,895 1,504 5,624 1,656 
			 Other offences 675 n/a 643 n/a 554 144 558 152 
			 n/a = not available (1) The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 1998-99. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997. (2) The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3: Offences recorded by the police in North Yorkshire and in the York Community Safety Partnership area-2002-03 to 2008-09 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  2002 - 03  2003 - 04  2004 - 05  2005 - 06 
			   North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP 
			 Offences against vehicles 10,697 4,761 10,614 4,868 7,463 3,224 7,938 3,841 
			 Burglary in a dwelling 4,766 2,162 4,936 2,346 2,921 1,117 2,619 1,081 
			 Other burglary 6,745 2,275 6,126 2,183 4,838 1,596 4,705 1.702 
			 Criminal damage 13,168 4,558 14,732 5,394 13,573 4,602 12,723 4,358 
			 Other theft 17,663 7,269 18,792 8,527 14,721 6,176 14,068 6,028 
			 Violence against the person 8,108 2,575 9,610 3,459 12,045 4,000 11,473 3,810 
			 Other offences 663 223 718 246 689 214 670 217 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  2006 - 07  2007 - 08  2008 - 09 
			   North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP  North Yorkshire  York CSP 
			 Offences against vehicles 7,057 3,556 5,578 2,498 5,581 2,392 
			 Burglary in a dwelling 2,465 1,065 2,372 975 2,474 1,113 
			 Other burglary 4,371 1,577 3,892 1,343 4,122 1,272 
			 Criminal damage 12,509 4,157 11,023 3,655 10,764 3,640 
			 Other theft 13,242 5,552 12,647 5,384 12,867 5,244 
			 Violence against the person 10,087 3,285 9,472 3,188 8,136 2,711 
			 Other offences 622 200 588 165 656 207 
			 (1) The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crime: Salford

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) crimes,  (b) crimes of domestic burglary and  (c) violent crimes there were in Salford in (i) 1997 and (ii) the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: Information for Salford is not available centrally prior to 1999-2000. In 2008-09, there were a total of 26,549 crimes recorded by the police in the Salford Community Safety Partnership area. Within this total, there were 2,182 offences of domestic burglary and 4,657 offences of violence against the person.

Crimes of Violence: Statistics

Martin Salter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the figure for police recorded violence would have been in  (a) 1997-98 and  (b) 1998-99 using current counting rules; and what methodology was used to establish these figures.

David Hanson: It is not possible to provide an adequate estimate the number of violent offences the police would have recorded in 1997-98 or 1998-99 based upon the current counting rules as the effect of changes made to these rules cannot be fully quantified over time.
	Additionally, there was a major change to the counting rules in April 1998, where the way in which crime was counted changed and the coverage of offences increased. For example, the assault without injury was included for the first time-then termed common assault. Given that the change in 1998 was related to an extended offences coverage and a move to counting crimes on a per victim rather than per offence basis it was reasonable in these circumstances to assume that the change had a one off impact on trends
	In April 2002, the National Crime Recording Standard was introduced. This brought in a more victim-focused reporting system, where victim accounts had to be accepted unless there was credible evidence to the contrary. This was proposed by ACPO to ensure better consistency in recording throughout England and Wales.
	The Home Office published an online report entitled 'National Crime Recording Standard (NCRS): an analysis of the impact on recorded crime' in July 2003 which evaluated the impact of NCRS on recorded crime figures. The full report can be found here:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs2/rdsolr3103.pdf
	The report estimates that the introduction of NCRS led to a 23 per cent. increase in recording of overall violence against the person offences in 2002-03.
	However, the estimate of 23 per cent. relates to an estimated effect in the first year of operation of the NCRS. No similar estimate was made for subsequent years as changes continued to be bedded in. However, the Audit Commission undertook substantial audit work on crime recording in the years following NCRS introduction up until 2006-07, this indicating a generally increasing level of NCRS compliance across forces. Furthermore, it is known that some forces had taken steps to make their recording of crime more victim-oriented prior to the formal introduction of NCRS.
	It was not possible to estimate the impact of the NCRS directly beyond the first year of its operation given the inherent difficulties that would arise in asking the police to consider how they would have previously recorded crime under the less well defined rules.
	The British Crime Survey is the best guide to long term trends in crime as it has employed a consistent approach to the counting of crimes experienced by the population resident in households over time. Its count of crime is unaffected by changes in level of reporting of crime to the police, in police recording practice or police activity. The survey is one of the largest of its kind and incorporates the experiences of more than 46,000 households in England and Wales. It has one of the highest response rates of voluntary household surveys and is viewed of high quality by independent experts. The BCS records a 41 per cent. decline in violent crime between 1997 and 2008-09.
	More information on the current counting rules can be found here:
	http://www.countingrules.homeoffice.gov.uk/output/Page1.asp

Departmental Buildings

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department spent on office refurbishments in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Woolas: Information on expenditure on office refurbishments over the last 10 years is not held centrally and could be researched only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions from his Department's buildings in each year since 2005.

Phil Woolas: Central Government Departments and their Executive agencies report carbon dioxide emission data from their offices annually as part of the Sustainable Development in Government (SDiG) reporting process. The latest assessment of government's performance against these targets was published by the Sustainable Development Commission on 18 December 2009
	http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/soge2009/
	The following table provides a breakdown for carbon dioxide emissions from offices in (a) 2005-06, (b) 2006-07, (c) 2007-08 and (d) 2008-09 by the Department, as previously reported:
	
		
			   Carbon dioxide emissions (tonnes of CO 2 ) 
			 2005-06 28,981 
			 2006-07 38,889 
			 2007-08 40,353 
			 2008-09 31,276

Departmental Consultants

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible in 2009.

Phil Woolas: Information on the Home Department's, inclusive of the Criminal Records Bureau, United Kingdom Border Agency and Identity and Passport Service agencies, total consultancy expenditure for the latest financial year available, FY 2008-09, is as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1: Total consultancy expenditure: Home Office headquarters, UKBA, CRB and IPS 
			  Financial year  Expenditure on consultancy services (£ million) 
			 2008-09 139 
		
	
	Information on non-departmental public bodies' consultancy expenditure for the latest financial year available, FY2008-09, is as follows:
	
		
			  Table 2: NDPBs' consultancy expenditure 
			  NDPB  FY 2008-09 (£) 
			 Independent Police Complaints Commission 578,000 
			 Independent Safeguarding Authority 405,000 
			 National Policing Improvement Agency 22,000,000 
			 Security Industry Agency 387,000 
			 Serious Organised Crime Agency 1,800,000 
		
	
	Consultancy and advisory services cover the provision to the Home Office of objective advice and assistance relating to strategy, structure, management or operations of an organisation in pursuit of its purposes and objectives. The use of external consultants provides the Department with specialist knowledge, skill, capacity and technical expertise that would not otherwise be available.
	The Department's overall expenditure on consultancy services represents a small part of the Home Office's overall spend, and at the end of the first half of the current financial year, it stood at some 5.8 per cent. of total overall expenditure, down from 8 per cent. in the previous year.
	The Department has in place a series of workstreams designed to bear down on departmental reliance and expenditure on consultancy and other external resources, including being the first Government Department to have introduced (in 2009) prescribed daily fee rates for contractors.

Departmental Paper

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what  (a) suppliers and  (b) brands of (i) paper and (ii) paper products his Department uses; and what his Department's policy is on the procurement of those materials.

Phil Woolas: During the current financial year the Home Department's  (a) supplier of (i) paper is Office Depot and its suppliers of (ii) paper products are Office Depot and Lyreco.
	The brands of paper used by the Department are: Office Depot, Xerox, Mondi IQ, Evolve, Conquerer, Niceday, Epson and Hewlett Packard.
	Paper supplied by brand is as follows:
	
		
			  Table 1 
			  Supplier  Brand  Paper 
			 Office Depot Office Depot recycled paper 80GSM, A3 and A4 80GSM business paper, everyday A5 80GSM, white duplicator paper, A3 and A4 green paper 80GSM, A4 minute sheets, various colours duplicator paper A4 80GSM, A3 and A4 colour printing paper 80GSM and 100 GSM, cream A4 160GSM 
			  Niceday photocard high gloss 240GMS P, various colours A4 80 and 160 GSM, various colours duplicator paper A4 80GSM, ijet hi gloss A4 145GSM, blotting paper, colour printing paper 
			  Mondi IQ everyday A3 80GSM, FSC MC IQ various colours paper A3 and A4 80 and160 GSM, FSC MC A4160 GSM card, FSC MC IQ A4 GSM, FSC M50percent colorcopy white A4 200 GSM 
			  Evolve office copier A3 and A4 80 and 100GSM 
			  Conquerer FSC MC wove A4 vellum and cream, MC ultra smooth diamond white, FSC MC laid brilliant white A4 100GSM 
			  Epson Glossy photo paper, A4 167GSM matt photo paper 
			  Hewlett Packard premier photo, HP C6035A 1/J bright white 
			  Xerox A3 and A4 premier paper 90 and 100GSM 
		
	
	The brands of paper products used by the Department are: Office Depot, Niceday, Sealed Air, Post-It, Pukka, Tyvek, Lyreco, Impega, Sasco, Elba, Tucson, Collins and Black N Red. The paper products supplied by supplier and brand are as follows:
	
		
			  Table 2 
			  Supplier  Brand  Paper products 
			 Lyreco Post-It sticky notes, indexes, flags 
			  Tyvek Envelopes 
			  Impega bag C4 manilla rib, ruled manuscript books, tab divider, diaries, envelopes, gussett envelopes 
			  Lyreco repo notes, paper index, diaries, wire spiral pads, notebooks, envelopes, film index, dividers, clipboards, sticky notes, shorthand books, manuscript books, window envelopes 
			  Sasco year planner 
			  Elba dividers, extra wide dividers 
			  Tucson Diary 
			  Collins Diaries 
			  Black N Red wirebound perforated books, pads, notebooks 
			 Office Depot Office Depot gussettt envelopes, window envelopes, diaries, manilla envelopes, sticky notes, flipchart pads 
			  Niceday calendars, desk calendars, diaries, wall calendars, year planners, laser labels, pads 
			  Sealed Air bubble lined envelopes 
			  Post-It indexes, sticky notes 
			  Pukka jotta pads 
		
	
	As part of its commitment to the Government's sustainable procurement agenda, the Department's policy is to comply, where possible, with the appropriate 'Quick Win' options.
	'Buy Sustainable-Quick Wins' is a set of sustainable specifications for a range of commonly-purchased products which include paper. The products assessed were chosen for their environmental/financial impact, scope for environmental improvement and political or example-setting function.
	'Buy Sustainable-Quick Wins' are comprised of both a set of mandatory minimum standards at the market average level and best practice specifications. These best practice specifications are more stretching than the mandatory minimum.
	The Department has tailored its catalogue to allow purchasers the option to buy all ranges of paper that comply with the quick wins agenda.

Deportation: Overseas Students

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overseas students were deported from the UK for extremist links in each year since 1997.

Phil Woolas: No foreign nationals with leave to be in the United Kingdom as students have been deported on national security grounds since 1997.

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum-seeking families from  (a) Afghanistan,  (b) the Democratic Republic of Congo and  (c) Somalia have been detained at (i) Dungavel House, (ii) Tinsley House and (iii) Yarl's Wood in each of the last six years.

Phil Woolas: The information is not held centrally and could only be provided by checking individual records over the period requested at a disproportionate cost.
	Published National Statistics on the number of adults and children held in detention solely under Immigration Act powers on a snapshot basis are published quarterly and are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html.

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the capacity is at  (a) Dungavel House,  (b) Tinsley House and  (c) Yarl's Wood for detainees; and whether that capacity has ever been reached in each case.

Phil Woolas: The capacities at each of the named centres are:
	 (a) Dungavel House
	197 single males, 14 single females, six family beds in two rooms
	 (b) Tinsley House
	116 single males, five single females, 25 family beds in four rooms
	 (c) Yarl's Wood.
	284 single females, 121 family beds in 60 rooms
	Dungavel House, Tinsley House and Yarl's Wood are managed as part of the UK Border Agency detention estate and not in isolation. The estate is managed to ensure maximum utilisation of beds. In 2008-09, an average of 95 per cent. of male and female beds were occupied at any one time. This is based on management information only which has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. This information is provisional and subject to change.
	Due to the configuration of the family accommodation, it is highly unlikely that overall capacity has ever been reached in any of these centres.

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff employed at  (a) Dungavel House,  (b) Tinsley House and  (c) Yarl's Wood have not had a Criminal Records Bureau check completed.

Phil Woolas: Detainee custody and escorting officers are checked by the Criminal Records Bureau before they are employed to work in Immigration Removal Centres.
	In very exceptional cases where an individual is required to fill a critical post, they may be employed pending clearance.

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times staff have been employed at  (a) Dungavel House,  (b) Tinsley House and  (c) Yarl's Wood before completion of their Criminal Records Bureau check in each of the last six years.

Phil Woolas: It is not possible to provide a full response to this question without examining individual records at disproportionate cost. The current process is that all staff at immigration removal centres and those performing escorting functions (detention escorting officers) who have detainee contact are checked by the Criminal Record Bureau before they are employed. It is possible that in the past we may have employed essential staff in very exceptional circumstances, without CRB clearance, however these individuals are accompanied by a fully cleared member of staff whilst undertaking their duties and do not have free access to the removal centre or lone access to individuals detained.

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) families,  (b) children aged under 18,  (c) children aged under 16 and  (d) children aged under 10 have been transferred from Dungavel House to Yarl's Wood in each of the last six years.

Phil Woolas: The following number of families, including children aged under 18, children aged under 16 and children aged under 10 were transferred from Dungavel House to Yarls Wood:
	
		
			   Number of family transfers  Children under 18  Children under 16  Children under 10  Not Known 
			 2010 (Jan-Feb) 5 2 3 0 5 
			 2009 36 1 10 35 31 
			 2008 (Nov-Dec): 9 1 4 5 5 
		
	
	It is not possible to obtain any escorting statistics prior to November 2008 as the information requested could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual records at disproportionate costs.
	The figures above are normally used for management information only. They have not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for national statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of detention at  (a) Dungavel House,  (b) Tinsley House and  (c) Yarl's Wood was for (i) a family, (ii) an individual, (iii) children aged under 18, (iv) children aged under 16 and (v) children aged under 10 in each year since 2004.

Phil Woolas: The information is not held centrally and could only be provided by checking individual records.
	Published National Statistics on the number of adults and children held in detention solely under Immigration Act powers on a snapshot basis are published quarterly and are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) families,  (b) children aged under 18,  (c) children aged under 16 and  (d) children aged under 10 have been detained at (i) Dungavel House, (ii) Tinsley House and (iii) Yarl's Wood in 2010.

Phil Woolas: Local management information indicates that the following number of families and children have been detained at the removal centres between 1 January 2010 and 6 March 2010:
	
		
			   Dungavel House  Tinsley House  Yarl's Wood 
			 Families 6 18 107 
			 Children aged under 18 11 18 140 
			 Children aged under 16 9 16 130 
			 Children aged under 10 3 12 94 
			  Notes: 1. Families may include families with or without children 2. Figures for children are cumulative 3. Some families and children may be recorded more than once if, for example, they have been detained at more than one removal centre during 2010. 
		
	
	The figures provided do not constitute part of national statistics as they are based on management information. This information has not been quality assured under national statistics protocols and should be treated as provisional national statistics on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers on a snapshot basis are published quarterly. The information is published in the Control of Immigration:
	Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom bulletins which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) families,  (b) children aged under 18,  (c) children aged under 16 and  (d) children aged under 10 were detained at (i) Dungavel House, (ii) Tinsley House and (iii) Yarl's Wood in each year since 2004.

Phil Woolas: The information is not held centrally and could only be provided by checking individual records.
	National Statistics on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers on a snapshot basis are published quarterly. The information is published in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom bulletins which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the staff to detainee ratio was at each UK immigration removal centre in each of the last six years.

Phil Woolas: We do not hold annual staff: detainee ratios. However, we are able to establish what those ratios were at commencement of the contracts for each immigration removal centres and the current position.
	The following table sets out ratios for detainee custody officers and does not include managers, supervisors or support staff.
	
		
			   Contract commencement  Current 
			 Brook House 4:30 4:30 
			 Campsfield House 2:65 2:65 
			 Colnbrook 2:27 3:44 
			 Dungavel 4:04 4:09 
			 Harmondsworth 2:19 2:16 
			 Oakington n/a 2:53 
			 Tinsley House 2:12 2:12 
			 Yarl's Wood 4:05 4:05 
			 n/a = Not available 
		
	
	Staff ratios are affected by a range of different factors such as the type of regime operated and the number of anticipated receptions and discharges per day.
	The data does not include the three centres operated by the Prison Service.
	The figures above are normally used for management information only. They have not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications. These figures are provisional and are subject to change.

Detention Centres

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what ministerial visits have been made to  (a) Dungavel House,  (b) Tinsley House and  (c) Yarl's Wood in each of the last 10 years; and what such ministerial visits are planned for 2010.

Phil Woolas: I visited Yarl's Wood in November 2008 and more recently, Dungavel House, in December 2009.
	Whilst Tinsley House has operated as an immigration removal centre since 1996, Dungavel House did not open until September 2001 and Yarl's Wood originally opened in November 2001, but was closed between February 2002 and September 2003.
	I can confirm the following visits by Home Office Ministers to:-
	 (a) Dungavel House:
	The hon. Member for Birmingham Hodge Hill in 2008.
	The Member for Harrow East in 2005.
	The Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun and the hon. Member for Sheffield Brightside in 2004.
	The Member for Stretford and Urmston in 2003 and Lord Foulkes of Cumnock in 2002.
	 (b) Tinsley House:
	The Member for Harrow East in 2005
	 (c) Yarl's Wood:
	My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in February 2010.
	My hon. Friend the Parliamentary under Secretary of State for the Home Office, the Member for Hackney South and Shoreditch , in March 2010.
	The information above is taken from local management information and is therefore provisional and subject to change.
	I am unable to disclose information about planned ministerial visits for reasons of security.

Detention Centres: Glasgow

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what methodology is used to decide which families will take part in the Alternatives to Detention pilot in Glasgow.

Phil Woolas: In order to join the pilot, families must:
	have at least one minor dependant and no more than can be safely accommodated in one of the pilot flats;
	have exhausted their appeal rights (in respect of the lead applicant and any other extant claims);
	have no history of violent behaviour, or inclination towards violence;
	have no medical problems requiring significant medical intervention;
	have no child deemed to be at risk under child protection arrangements;
	have no child who is sitting examinations at Standard and Higher Grades within the next three months. (There may be cases where the circumstances are such that the three month period can be shortened-this will be an assessment based on the individual facts of the case.);
	be removable;
	be able to claim Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR);
	be accommodated in Glasgow under the target contract; and on section 95 support.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the likely impact on the economy of changes to the Tier 4 points based system for 2010-15.

Phil Woolas: During the course of the review of Tier 4, the student tier of the points based system, the evidence submitted by representative bodies of the education sector, as well as by individual providers, of the impact on the economy arising from any changes was considered alongside all other evidence gathered. A formal impact assessment will be published shortly.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidential basis was used to determine the level of education most susceptible to fraudulent visa applications when revising the Tier 4 points-based system rules.

Phil Woolas: A range of evidence was used to determine the level of education most susceptible to fraudulent applications, including evidence provided by UK Border Agency staff based in the UK and overseas, internal management information, reports made by education providers to the UK Border Agency of non-enrolment and drop-outs, and other information from the education sector.

Entry Clearances: Palestinians

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on his Department's decision not to issue visas to Palestinian olive oil producers to visit the UK during Fairtrade Fortnight; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: I have received eight representations from Members of Parliament.
	The decision to refuse entry clearance to the three Palestinian olive oil producers has been overturned after consideration by the ECO of the information provided, and the Visa Section in Amman is in the process of contacting the applicants.

European Court of Human Rights

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to  (a) his policy and  (b) the UK Border Agency's practice on the detention of children following the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights on 19 January 2010 regarding detention.

Phil Woolas: In January 2010 the European Court of Human Rights ruled on a case of immigration detention in Belgium involving a mother and her children. The court ruling was not concerned with the policy on detention as such but the conditions in which the children were detained. In particular, the fact that they were held in a closed transit centre, which was not designed to house children and was not appropriate for housing children. As a consequence of this the court ruled that their detention was unlawful. The mother's detention was deemed lawful.
	The UK Border Agency has 11 immigration removal centres, three of which are designed to meet the needs of families with children. We do not therefore consider that the ruling impacts on the UK's policy of detaining families with their children as a last resort to enforce their departure from the UK where they have no basis of stay and have failed to leave the country voluntarily.

Fraud: Credit Cards

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of offences related to  (a) credit card and  (b) mortgage fraud affecting residents in the London Borough of Bexley were reported in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not available from the police recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. It is not possible to separately identify credit card and mortgage fraud from other offences within the fraud and forgery offence group.
	The measurement of fraud is challenging as it is known to be very substantially under-reported to the police. Financial institutions will encourage customers (both personal and business) to report cheque, plastic card or online bank account fraud directly to them and not the police in the first instance. Fraud reported to financial institutions will then only be reported to the police if they are satisfied that there is a reasonable chance of a suspect being brought to justice through police investigation.
	In addition to the fraud and forgery offences which are recorded by the police, the Home Office publishes information on plastic card offences identified by the UK Card Association along with findings from the British Crime Survey (BCS). The BCS provides a measure of plastic card fraud among adult residents in households which is important because it captures data on incidents which are not reported to the police. However, neither of these sources have data at borough level.
	Further information is contained in chapter 4 of 'Crime in England and Wales 2008/09', a copy of which is available in the Library.

Identity Cards

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has commissioned  (a) research and  (b) other work on the possibility of introducing compulsory identity cards in future.

Alan Johnson: Identity cards are issued on a voluntary basis and the Identity and Passport Service has not commissioned any research or other work on the possible future introduction of compulsory identity cards.

Immigrants: Detainees

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many detainees were transferred from Dungavel House to immigration detention in England in  (a) 2007-08,  (b) 2008-09 and  (c) 2009-10.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 15 March 2010
	 The following table shows the number of detainees who left Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre in the years 2007-10.
	
		
			  Year of transfer  Number of transfers 
			 2007 2,635 
			 2008 2,160 
			 2009 2,389 
			 2010 (January and February) 381 
		
	
	The Detainee Escorting and Population Management Unit (DEPMU) is responsible for bed space management within the UK Border Agency's detention estate. The unit seeks to minimise movements within the estate in the interests of providing a settled regime and the efficient use of escorting resources.
	Movement of detainees around the estate is required for operational reasons, most often to:
	Position detainees close to airports prior to removal
	Position detainees for court appearances
	Position detainees for hospital appointments
	Position detainees for embassy/documentation interviews
	Facilitate the movement of detainees to more secure locations for security/behavioural reasons
	Ensure bed space is fully utilised.
	The data provided includes movements for the reasons outlined above in addition to those for removal. The information is taken from data normally used for management information only. It has not been subject to the detailed checks that apply for National Statistics publications and is provisional and subject to change.

Immigrants: Detainees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been detained at each immigration detention centre in the last six months for which figures are available; and what the average period of detention was.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 12 March 2010
	 The number of children who entered detention solely under Immigration Act powers for the last six months of 2009 is published in table 9 of the Control of Immigration Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom Third Quarter and Table 9.1 of the Control of Immigration Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom Fourth Quarter which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html.
	Information on the average period of detention is not available, however Table 12 of the above publications show the length of time children were in detention as at the last day of each quarter.

Immigrants: Detainees

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times Ministers have signed an authorisation for the detention of a child at an immigration removal centre beyond 28 days in each of the last six months.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 15 March 2010
	 Local management information indicates that the following referrals for ministerial authorisation of the continued detention of a child beyond 28 days under Immigration Act powers have been made in each of the last six months. The information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Month of initial referral  Number of families referred to the Minister for authorisation of detention of children beyond 28 days  Number of children referred to the Minister for authorisation of detention beyond 28 days 
			 September 2009 12 18 
			 October 2009 6 8 
			 November 2009 5 9 
			 December 2009 2 2 
			 January 2010 0 0 
			 February 2010 6 10 
			  Notes: 1. The figures only included those cases where detention continued beyond 28 days and only the first referral for each child. 2. The figures provided do not constitute part of National Statistics as they are based on management information. This information has not been quality assured under National Statistics protocols and should be treated as provisional. 
		
	
	National Statistics on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers on a snapshot basis are published quarterly. The information is published in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom bulletins which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Immigration

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in each local authority area have been granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK in each year since 1997.

Phil Woolas: Home Office do not maintain data on persons in each local authority area who have been granted discretionary leave to remain in the UK.
	Information on the local authority that the individual was recorded to be residing in at the time of the grant of discretionary leave is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs by examination of individual case records.

Internet: Safety

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will hold discussions with the owners of  (a) Facebook and  (b) other social networking sites on improving (i) online security and (ii) advice on security for users of such sites.

Alan Campbell: We take the safety of children and adults on the internet very seriously, and we created CEOP (the Child Exploitation and Online Protection) to develop a law enforcement capability to fight the sexual abuse of children in the online environment, and to provide a body to act as the national centre for this crime. CEOP have developed the ClickCEOP button for use on social networking and other sites, to allow users who feel threatened to report direct to CEOP.
	We expect the providers of these sites to take the safety of their users seriously, and we would urge them to put the ClickCEOP button on their website.
	The Home Secretary and I will be meeting Facebook shortly, to discuss online safety with them.

Offenders: Deportation

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 February 2010,  Official Report, column 372W, on offenders: deportation, what the country of origin of each offender was; for what crime each was convicted; and from which institution each went missing.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 1 March 2010
	I shall let the hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell have a reply as soon as possible.

Police: Birmingham

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding was provided in Birmingham for  (a) policing and  (b) victim support services in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: The information available can be found in the following tables. There is no available breakdown on figures just for Birmingham, as it is included in West Midlands figures.
	
		
			  West Midlands police authority funding 
			   Total Government grants( 1) (£ million) 
			 1997-98 324.3 
			 1998-99(2) 341.0 
			 1999-2000 348.8 
			 2000-01 363.3 
			 2001-02 384.6 
			 2001-02(3) 375.8 
			 2002-03 397.4 
			 2003-04 437.7 
			 2004-05 442.8 
			 2005-06 468.9 
			 2005-06(4) 468.0 
			 2006-07 491.8 
			 2007-08 519.3 
			 2008-09 541.4 
			 2009-10 (planned) 601.3 
			 (1) This figure comprises the Home Office Police Grant and certain Specific Grants and Capital Provision, and also the Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates (both provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government). (2) For the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) in 1998-99. (3) For the National Crime Squad (NCS) in 2001-02. (4) For pensions and security funding in 2005-06.  Note: Figures are not directly comparable across all years because of adjustments to the base line for funding transfers from general grant. 
		
	
	
		
			  West Midlands victim support services funding 
			   Office of Criminal Justice Reform funding for victim support (£ million) 
			 2001-02 1.383 
			 2002-03 1.437 
			 2003-04 1.465 
			 2004-05 1.579 
			 2005-06 1.612 
			 2006-07 1.622 
			 2007-08 1.622 
			 2008-09 1.886 
			 2009-10 (planned) 1.901 
			  Note: Figures provided by the Office of Criminal Justice Reform. 
		
	
	The table above illustrates funding given to West Midlands victim support in the past nine years. There is no available breakdown on figures for West Midlands before 2001.

Police: Manpower

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were employed by West Midlands Police  (a) in 1997 and  (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

David Hanson: There were 7,113 police officers in West Midlands police force as at 31 March 1997 and 8,613 police officers as at 30 September 2009.
	This and other related data are published annually as part of the annual Police Service Strength Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest bulletin can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and bulletins for this and previous years are deposited in the Library of the House.

Police: Manpower

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in  (a) 2000 and  (b) 2009.

David Hanson: There were 121,956 police officers in the 43 police forces of England and Wales as at 31 March 2000 and 142,209 police officers as at 30 September 2009.
	This and other related data are published annually as part of the annual Police Service Strength Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest bulletin can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and bulletins for this and previous years are deposited in the Library of the House.

Police: Milton Keynes

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) police officers there were in Milton Keynes in each year since 1997 and  (b) police community support officers there were in Milton Keynes in each year since 2002.

David Hanson: The available data are provided in the table. This information has been collected at Basic Command Unit level since March 2002 for police officers and since June 2005 for police community support officers.
	This and other related data are published annually as a supplementary part of the annual Police Service Strength Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest bulletin can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and bulletins for this and previous years are deposited in the Library of the House.
	
		
			  Police officer( 1)  and police community support officer( 2)  strength in Milton Keynes Basic Command Unit, as at 31 March( 3) 
			   Officer( 1)  PCSO( 2) 
			 2002 342 n/a 
			 2003 346 n/a 
			 2004 371 n/a 
			 2005(2) 378 11 
			 2006(2) 383 14 
			 2007 396 19 
			 2008 389 66 
			 2009 419 73 
			 (1) Data for police officers by Basic Command Unit were collected centrally for the first time for the period beginning April 2002. Data for 31 March 2002 were published by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. No data broken down by Basic Command Unit are available centrally prior to 2002. (2) Data for police community support officers by Basic Command Unit are only available from 2005. Data are at 30 June for 2005 and 2006, from a special collection made until data were included in the main statistical run. Data for 2007 onwards are at 31 March. (3) These figures are based on full-time equivalents that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Figures include those officers on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave.

Police: Salford

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were based in Salford in  (a) 1997 and  (b) the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Hanson: Information on the number of police officers has only been collected at basic command unit level since March 2002.
	There were 541 police officers in Salford basic command unit as at 31 March 2002 and 585 police officers as at 31 March 2009.
	This and other related data are published annually as a supplementary part of the annual Police Service Strength Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The latest bulletin can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and bulletins for this and previous years are deposited in the Library of the House.

Police: Standards

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what key performance indicators will be included in his Department's league tables on the performance of police forces for 2009-10.

David Hanson: Following the 2008 Policing Green Paper, the Home Office no longer assesses the performance of police forces in England and Wales.
	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) launched their assessment of individual police forces (their 'Police Report Card') on 11 March for the period 2008-09. Future assessments of police performance will be published by HMIC.
	The 'Police Report Card' draws information from the Home Office's Analysis of Policing and Community Safety (APACS) performance indicators.
	The technical guidance for the APACS indicators for 2009-10 can be found at:
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/performance-and-measurement/Guidance_On_SPIs_for_APACS_1.html

Police: Standards

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the performance tables for police forces in England and Wales for 2009-10 will be published.

David Hanson: holding answer 12 March 2010
	 Following the publication of the 2008 Policing Green paper, the Home Office no longer assesses the performance of police forces in England and Wales.
	Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) launched their assessment of individual police forces (their 'Police Report Card') on 11 March and copies have been provided to the House Library.
	Future assessments of police performance will be published by HMIC and can be found on their dedicated website at:
	www.mypolice.org.uk

Policing: West Yorkshire

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding his Department allocated for  (a) policing and  (b) victim support services in West Yorkshire in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: The available information can be found in the following tables.
	
		
			  West Yorkshire police authority funding 
			   £ million( 4) 
			 1997-98 243.6 
			 1998-99(1) 252.9 
			 1999-2000 258.8 
			 2000-01 273.7 
			 2001-02 289.3 
			 2001-02(2) 282.6 
			 2002-03 302.9 
			 2003-04 318.1 
			 2004-05 328.8 
			 2005-06 343.4 
			 2005-06(3) 343.0 
			 2006-07 356.8 
			 2007-08 373.3 
			 2008-09 387.7 
			 2008-09 396.1 
			 2009-10 437.6 
			 (1) For the National Criminal Intelligence Service (NC1S) in 1997-98. (2) For the National Crime Squad (NCS) in 2001-02. (3) For pensions and security funding in 2006-07. (4) This figure comprises the Home Office Police Grant and certain Specific Grants and Capital Provision, and also the Revenue Support Grant and National Non-Domestic Rates (both provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government).  Note: Figures are not directly comparable across all years because of adjustments to the base line for funding transfers from general grant. 
		
	
	
		
			  West Yorkshire Victim Support Services funding 
			   £ million 
			   Office of Criminal Justice Reform funding for Victim Support 
			 2001-02 1.0 
			 2002-03 1.0 
			 2003-04 1.1 
			 2004-05 1.2 
			 2005-06 1.2 
			 2006-07 1.2 
			 2007-08 1.2 
			 2008-09 1.4 
			 2009-10 1.1 
			  Source: Figures provided by the Office of Criminal Justice Reform. 
		
	
	The table above illustrates funding given to West Yorkshire Victim support. There is no available breakdown on figures for West Yorkshire before 2001.
	West Yorkshire will have received additional funding from local fundraising.

Powers of Entry

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individual powers of entry are exercisable by local authorities.

David Hanson: The list of statutory powers of entry including those exercised by local authorities can be found on the Home Office website at:
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/operational-policing/powers-pace-codes/powers-of-entry-review/index67d9.html?version=2

SERCO

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much work in progress of post awaiting processing by SERCO for  (a) Case Resolution Directorate North and  (b) Case Resolution Directorate South there was (i) in each of the last four quarters and (ii) at the latest date for which information is available.

Phil Woolas: The chief executive of the UK Border Agency, Lin Homer will provide the Home Affairs Select Committee, in the next update, further information on the performance of SERCO within the Case Resolution Directorate.

UK Border Agency

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures the UK Border Agency follows in respect of immigration applications from individuals suspected of holding extremist views.

Phil Woolas: We do not disclose our methods as to do so would invite abuse.

UK Border Agency

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures the UK Border Agency follows in respect of immigration applications from individuals who have been investigated in the US for suspected links to terrorism.

Phil Woolas: It is our policy not to publicise details of anti-terrorist policies in this respect.

UK Border Agency: Complaints

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints about asylum applications submitted prior to March 2007 were made to the UK Border Agency's Case Resolution Directorate in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: Robust data can only be provided from February 2008. The Case Resolution Directorate received 1916 complaints in 2008 and 1160 complaints in 2009, relating to applications submitted prior to March 2007.

UK Border Agency: Complaints

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints about an application by a national of a country in the European Economic Area were made to the UK Border Agency in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The UK Border Agency does not hold central information to the level of detail asked for in this question. However, data is available relating to all types of complaints about the service that the Agency provides. In 2008 there were 10,835 such complaints received by the Agency and in 2009 there were 12,038.

UK Border Agency: Pay

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost to the UK Border Agency was of overtime payments in the last 12 months; how many hours of overtime were claimed for; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The cost to the United Kingdom Border Agency of overtime payments in the last 12 months (February 2009 to January 2010) was £10.5 million out of a total wage bill to the UKBA of £882.4 million.
	The above figure(s) do not include, for the first two months, overtime, or wages incurred within the Border Force Detection function moved to the United Kingdom Border Agency from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs in the machinery of Government transfers taking place on 1 April 2009. Because rates of overtime can differ in respect of the days on which work falls, and individual pay rates of the recipients concerned it is not possible to convert the above figures into hours of overtime claimed for, except at disproportionate cost.

Work Permits

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) in country and  (b) out of country work permits were approved in each year since 2004.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 11 March 2010
	The work permit scheme closed on 26 November 2008. Figures for the number of work permits approved in the period 2004-08 are as follows:
	
		
			  Work permit approvals 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 In country 78,380 63,795 62,665 54,940 54,575 
			 Out of country 77,895 73,265 82,305 76,130 69,155 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to nearest five. The figures quoted are not provided under National Statistics protocols and have been derived from local management information and are therefore provisional and subject to change. 2. The figures include both new permits and those approved to extend or amend an existing permit or where the individual has moved to another job with a different employer. Not all those granted a permit took up the job and some may have been refused entry clearance or further leave to remain.